EDUCATION

Adoption: Medical Examinations

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what guidance his Department has issued on funding of adoption medicals.

Edward Timpson: Funding for medicals for prospective adopters is a matter of local policy for each adoption agency.

Children in Care

Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the percentage change in the number of looked-after children per 10,000 child population between 2008-09 and 2012-13 was in each local authority in England.

Edward Timpson: Statistics on the numbers of looked after children plus rates per 10,000 of the population (aged 18 or under) are published as part of the Statistical First Release ‘Children Looked After in England’.
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption

Dyslexia-SpLD Trust

Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will take steps to promote the materials and resources produced by the Dyslexia-SpLD Trust to parents, schools and local authorities.

Edward Timpson: The Department for Education is funding a number of voluntary and community organisations through grants and contracts to support reforms to the special educational needs (SEN) system.
	The Department also funds the Dyslexia SpLD Trust to promote best practice and increase the number of local authorities, schools and others who access the Trust's resources.
	The Trust, like other organisations funded to support the Government's SEN reforms, is highlighted within the draft SEN Code of Practice, which all schools and local authorities must have regard to. These organisations also feature in presentations and communications activity led by officials to support the implementation of the reforms.

Free School Meals

Richard Shepherd: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans his Department has for funding of free school meals for year one and year two pupils after 2016.

David Laws: The Government announced in September 2013 that all pupils attending state-funded schools in England in reception, year one and year two will be offered a free school lunch from September 2014. The Chancellor of the Exchequer subsequently announced over a billion pounds of funding for this policy between 2014 and 2016 in his autumn statement, 5 December 2013, Official Report, columns 1101-1113. The Government is legislating to make this new entitlement permanent.

Primary Education: Inspections

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what Ofsted's policy is on the inspection of reception classes in primary schools with regard to the freeflow and child-initiated approach to education.

David Laws: This question is a matter for Ofsted. I have asked Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw, to write to the hon. Member. A copy of his reply has been placed in the House Library.

Private Education: Offences against Children

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many independent schools have notified his Department of disciplinary action taken against a member of staff as a result of concerns about their sexual behaviour towards children in each of the last five years.

Edward Timpson: The National College for Teaching and Leadership has received referrals from 13 independent schools, relating to disciplinary action taken against a member of staff as a result of concerns about their sexual behaviour towards children, since it commenced its regulatory role on 1 April 2012.
	Under the last Government, the regulatory system was operated by the General Teaching Council for England which only regulated registered teachers. There was no requirement for teachers in independent schools to be registered.

Pupils: Disadvantaged

Richard Shepherd: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will announce pupil premium allocations for year one and year two pupils in each of the next three years to enable schools to plan budgets including free school meals' provision.

David Laws: The pupil premium was introduced to help schools raise the attainment of their disadvantaged pupils and not to pay for free school meals. We use data on pupils from each year's January school census to calculate pupil premium allocations for the following financial year.
	We are not yet able to publish pupil premium allocation for 2014-15 and beyond as the data on the number of eligible pupils in each school which is used to allocate the pupil premium is not yet available. For the 2014-15 financial year we have published provisional allocations1 for schools based on data from the January 2013 school census. We will finalise allocations later in the year when the January 2014 school census data is available. Data from the January 2015 school census, used to calculate the 2015-16 pupil premium allocations, wilt not be available until June 2015.
	1https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pupil-premium-2014-to-2015-illustrative-allocation-tables

Pupils: Per Capita Costs

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the highest and lowest levels of spending per capita on primary school reception classes in England in each year since 2007-08.

David Laws: Per pupil funding figures in reception classes for the highest and lowest funded local authorities in England in financial years 2007 to 2013 are shown in the following table. The funding provided to different class groups, including reception, is allocated by local authorities (LAs).
	
		
			 Per capita funding from LA in reception classes 
			 £ 
			  2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 
			 Highest 3,657 3,721 3,798 3,897 5,685 5,762 
			 Lowest 1,538 1,568 1,610 1,930 1,911 1,930 
		
	
	Figures include age weighted funding allocated to reception pupils only. The figures exclude City of London and Isles of Scilly in all years shown, and other LAs with no comparable data in some years.
	Since 2010, the average funding per pupil provided to LAs has .increased each year when also taking the pupil premium into account.
	The pupil premium was introduced in 2011-12 to provide additional support for disadvantaged children including those in reception classes. The total funds allocated for reception pupils in each financial year from 2011 to 2014 were £53.1 million, £75.4 million and £119.0 million respectively.
	The Chancellor announced in June that we would consult on how best to introduce a national fair funding formula, with implementation starting in 2015-16. We will announce the next steps shortly.

Schools: Defibrillators

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the proportion of schools in England which have automated external defibrillators.

David Laws: No assessment of the proportion of schools in England which have defibrillators has been made.

Schools: Finance

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he will publish the next stage of his consultation on a single funding formula for schools.

David Laws: The Chancellor announced in June that we would consult on how best to introduce a national fair funding formula, with implementation starting in 2015-16. We will announce the next steps shortly.

Special Educational Needs

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 14 January 2014, Official Report, column 502W, on special educational needs, what research his Department has commissioned on reasons for variations in local education authorities' results for special educational needs students at GCSE level.

Edward Timpson: In 2010, Ofsted published the report: ‘A statement is not enough—Ofsted review of special educational needs and disability’. This highlighted the variations in identification of special educational needs (SEN) between different schools and different local authorities and the potential impacts on attainment. We are reflecting the lessons of this report in our reforms to the SEN system which form part of the Children and Families Bill.

Teachers: Greater London

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of teachers in London schools were qualified in each London borough in each of the last 10 years.

David Laws: The following table shows the proportion of full-time equivalent qualified teachers (excluding occasionals) in service in publicly funded schools in each London local authority and England in January 2003 to 2009 and November 2010 to 2012 which is the latest information available. We expect figures for November 2013 to be available in July 2014.
	
		
			 Proportion of qualified full-time equivalent regular teachers (excluding occasionals) in service in publicly funded schools. January 2003 to 2009 and November 2010 to 2012. England and London local authorities 
			 Percentage 
			   January November 
			 LA number LA name 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 
			             
			  England 96 96 96 96 96 96 96 96 96 97 
			             
			  London 91 89 90 91 92 93 93 94 95 95 
			             
			 201 City of London 95 76 94 72 85 87 94 93 94 96 
			 202 Camden 94 91 91 91 91 92 94 93 94 96 
			 204 Hackney 85 84 86 85 85 92 91 91 93 94 
		
	
	
		
			 205 Hammersmith and Fulham 83 83 84 88 89 91 93 93 94 93 
			 309 Haringey 92 93 93 93 93 93 93 94 94 95 
			 206 Islington 91 89 89 89 91 92 94 95 96 95 
			 207 Kensington and Chelsea 87 89 87 87 87 85 90 89 93 94 
			 208 Lambeth 92 89 89 89 91 93 94 94 94 95 
			 209 Lewisham 96 94 94 94 94 95 94 95 95 94 
			 316 Newham 91 88 93 94 94 95 97 95 96 95 
			 210 Southwark 86 84 85 87 88 89 90 94 91 93 
			 211 Tower Hamlets 87 86 87 87 90 91 93 94 95 95 
			 212 Wandsworth 92 91 90 91 92 92 93 95 95 95 
			 213 Westminster 84 82 85 85 87 87 90 89 90 92 
			  Inner London 90 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 94 95 
			             
			 203 Greenwich 94 90 90 90 92 93 92 92 93 95 
			 301 Barking and Dagenham 91 90 90 90 91 91 91 95 95 97 
			 302 Barnet 93 89 88 88 91 92 90 91 92 93 
			 303 Bexley 94 94 93 94 94 94 95 97 97 95 
			 304 Brent 91 87 87 87 90 91 93 93 95 95 
			 305 Bromley 94 94 94 94 95 94 95 96 97 96 
			 306 Croydon 89 88 87 93 94 93 93 92 94 94 
			 307 Ealing 91 87 89 90 91 92 93 95 95 97 
			 308 Enfield 88 89 90 91 92 94 94 96 96 96 
			 310 Harrow 90 90 90 89 91 91 93 95 96 96 
			 311 Havering 91 89 90 91 93 93 93 93 94 94 
			 312 Hillingdon 90 87 87 89 90 92 93 95 95 95 
			 313 Hounslow 87 88 90 92 93 93 93 95 96 97 
			 314 Kingston upon Thames 96 96 96 95 95 97 96 95 96 97 
			 315 Merton 91 90 91 91 93 93 94 95 95 95 
			 317 Redbridge 91 91 90 91 91 92 92 94 94 95 
			 318 Richmond upon Thames 95 96 94 95 95 97 96 97 96 97 
			 319 Sutton 96 96 96 97 95 95 96 97 96 97 
			 320 Waltham Forest 87 89 88 89 91 92 93 94 95 95 
			  Outer London 91 90 90 91 92 93 93 94 95 95 
			 Sources: Form 618g (January 2003 to 2009) and School Workforce Census (November 2010 to 2012). 
		
	
	The following Departments are those received for publication on Wednesday 29 January 2014
	Education

Barnfield College

Gavin Shuker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  how many visits to Barnfield Academy were made by his Department or its executive agencies before the start of the investigation of the academy in September 2013;
	(2)  how many visits to Barnfield Academy were made by his Department or its executive agencies prior to the commencement of the investigation in September 2013; on what dates such visits were made; and for what purpose they were made.

Edward Timpson: The information requested is not held centrally and could be compiled only at a disproportionate cost.

Berkshire

Alok Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will publish details of all funds allocated by his Department and its associated agencies to (a) Reading Borough Council and (b) West Berkshire Council in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12, (iii) 2012-13 and (iv) 2013-14 to date.

David Laws: The following tables show the total allocations (£millions) made to both local authorities in each of the requested financial years by the Department for Education (DfE) and its agencies. These figures are not comparable for the reasons given as follows:
	
		
			 Reading (£ million) 
			  2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 
			 Revenue 92 79 80 76 
			 Capital 12 8 5 2 
			 Total 104 87 85 78 
		
	
	
		
			 West Berkshire (£ million) 
			  2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 
			 Revenue 122 106 100 90 
			 Capital 19 6 6 4 
			 Total 141 112 106 94 
			 Notes: 1. The tables include allocations to the local authorities but exclude allocations to academies and free schools. 2. The allocations for 2013-14 are provisional at this stage because the allocations for Dedicated Schools Grant are liable to change before the year end. 
		
	
	However, it should be noted that the figures are not comparable between years because:
	Funding to local authorities (LAs) diminishes with the opening of academies, free schools and university technology colleges (UTCs) as they are funded directly by the Education Funding Agency. Since 2010, nine academies, two free schools and one UTC have opened in Reading and eight academies have opened in West Berkshire. Regarding the details of funding for schools in Reading and West Berkshire I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 14 January 2014, Official Report, 500W.
	In 2012-13 a number of Agencies moved into the DfE whilst others closed. This changed the way that funding was provided to LAs.
	During this time there were also some transfers of funding between DfE and other Government Departments. These were mainly small amounts but the most significant were the Education Services Grant (national total of £1.03 billion) which transferred from the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) to the DfE in 2013-14 and the Early Intervention Grant (national total of £2.3 billion) which transferred from the DfE to DCLG in 2013-14.
	The DfE has also provided some funding to other Government Departments to contribute to programmes that were jointly funded and managed, such as the Child Poverty programme that was administered by the Department for Work and Pensions.

Children: Day Care

Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he takes to ensure that local authorities fully implement their responsibilities as set out in the Childcare Act 2006 and the Early Education and Childcare: Statutory Guidance for Local Authorities produced in 2013.

Elizabeth Truss: Local authorities are accountable to their local electorate for the delivery of their duties under the Act. The Department for Education publishes national datasets to enable local authorities to benchmark their performance against geographical or statistical neighbours, and to enable parents and communities to hold them to account. The benchmarking tables are available online at the following link:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/earlylearningandchildcare/b00211546/foundation-years-benchmarking-too

Further Education: Finance

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if his Department will introduce transitional support for further education colleges affected by reductions in funding for young people aged 18 and over in academic year 2014-15.

Matthew Hancock: As the Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), told the Education Committee recently, he will consider options to mitigate the impact of the decision, but he has made no firm commitments.

GCE A-level: Greater London

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of children completed at least one A-level in each London borough in each of the last five years.

David Laws: The requested information is provided in the following table:
	
		
			 GCE A level results1 of all state-funded2 students aged 16 to 183: Years: 2008-09 to 2012-134. Coverage: London local authorities 
			   2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			  Region/local authority number No. of students entered for at least one A level % of students completing5 at least one A level No. of students entered for at least one A level % of students completing5 at least one A level No. of students entered for at least one A level % of students completing5 at least one A level 
			 London E12000007 31,796 99.0 32,805 99.1 32,936 99.1 
			         
			 Inner London E13000001 8,198 98.8 8,693 99.0 8,942 98.9 
			 Camden E09000007 915 98.9 875 99.0 798 98.7 
			 City of London E09000001 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Hackney E09000012 308 98.1 291 100.0 447 99.1 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham E09000013 638 99.4 683 99.4 717 98.3 
			 Haringey E09000014 522 98.7 571 99.3 558 99.6 
			 Islington E09000019 567 99.1 596 99.3 662 99.8 
			 Kensington and Chelsea E09000020 443 98.9 442 98.9 508 99.6 
			 Lambeth E09000022 269 98.1 304 98.4 362 98.6 
			 Lewisham E09000023 967 99.0 1,051 99.0 1,132 99.3 
			 Newham E09000025 679 99.9 795 99.1 742 98.4 
			 Southwark E09000028 305 96.4 355 99.2 286 98.6 
		
	
	
		
			 Tower Hamlets E09000030 686 97.5 647 98.1 683 98.4 
			 Wandsworth E09000032 1,065 99.5 1,239 99.2 1,247 99.0 
			 Westminster E09000033 834 98.7 844 98.5 800 98.0 
			         
			 Outer London E13000002 23,598 99.1 24,112 99.1 23,994 99.2 
			 Barking and Dagenham E09000002 607 98.2 623 98.1 711 98.7 
			 Barnet E09000003 2,425 99.3 2,375 99.3 2,347 99.4 
			 Bexley E09000004 1,150 99.4 1,174 99.6 1,160 99.7 
			 Brent E09000005 1,084 97.9 1,134 99.3 1,259 99.2 
			 Bromley E09000006 2,080 98.8 2,080 98.8 2,157 99.2 
			 Croydon E09000008 1,111 99.2 1,087 98.3 1,063 98.7 
			 Ealing E09000009 817 99.4 969 99.2 975 99.6 
			 Enfield E09000010 1,373 98.5 1,429 98.7 1,436 99.0 
			 Greenwich E09000011 614 98.4 684 98.4 582 98.1 
			 Harrow E09000015 1,250 99.8 1,284 99.7 1,372 99.7 
			 Havering E09000016 1,366 99.2 1,433 99.4 1,414 99.2 
			 Hillingdon E09000017 1,250 98.8 1,310 98.0 1,277 99.3 
			 Hounslow E09000018 1,163 99.1 1,179 99.3 1,112 99.3 
			 Kingston upon Thames E09000021 1,167 98.7 1,148 99.3 1,034 98.8 
			 Merton E09000024 336 99.1 255 99.6 268 99.6 
			 Redbridge E09000026 2,071 99.5 2,055 99.4 2,087 99.2 
			 Richmond upon Thames E09000027 1,012 99.2 1,054 99.6 984 99.4 
			 Sutton E09000029 1,440 99.6 1,506 99.6 1,480 99.3 
			 Waltham Forest E09000031 1,282 99.5 1,333 99.2 1,276 99.3 
			         
			 All state-funded sector2 E92000001 218,700 99.1 225,807 99.1 220,112 99.2 
		
	
	
		
			   2011-12 2012-13 
			  Region/local authority number No. of students entered for at least one A level % of students completing5 at least one A level No. of students entered for at least one A level % of students completing5 at least one A level 
			 London E12000007 33,244 99.2 34,541 99.3 
			       
			 Inner London E13000001 9,160 98.8 9,823 99.3 
			 Camden E09000007 958 98.9 1,017 99.4 
			 City of London E09000001 n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Hackney E09000012 492 98.8 599 99.0 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham E09000013 751 98.7 843 98.8 
			 Haringey E09000014 587 99.3 643 99.5 
			 Islington E09000019 691 99.1 706 99.3 
			 Kensington and Chelsea E09000020 481 99.0 589 99.8 
			 Lambeth E09000022 399 98.2 380 99.5 
			 Lewisham E09000023 1,096 98.6 1,269 98.9 
			 Newham E09000025 719 98.6 702 99.3 
			 Southwark E09000028 379 99.5 419 99.8 
			 Tower Hamlets E09000030 661 98.3 704 99.6 
			 Wandsworth E09000032 1,259 99.0 1,239 99.3 
			 Westminster E09000033 687 98.5 713 99.6 
			       
			 Outer London E13000002 24,084 99.3 24,718 99.4 
			 Barking and Dagenham E09000002 653 99.2 614 100.0 
			 Barnet E09000003 2,421 99.5 2,487 98.9 
			 Bexley E09000004 1,245 99.0 1,291 99.6 
			 Brent E09000005 1,140 99.2 1,157 99.0 
			 Bromley E09000006 2,105 99.5 2,121 99.8 
			 Croydon E09000008 1,164 99.1 1,197 98.7 
		
	
	
		
			 Ealing E09000009 1,098 98.7 1,142 99.6 
			 Enfield E09000010 1,269 99.6 1,408 99.0 
			 Greenwich E09000011 566 98.8 571 99.5 
			 Harrow E09000015 1,358 99.4 1,432 99.6 
			 Havering E09000016 1,481 98.9 1,637 99.0 
			 Hillingdon E09000017 1,277 99.4 1,365 99.5 
			 Hounslow E09000018 1,142 99.4 1,203 99.3 
			 Kingston upon Thames E09000021 1,055 99.1 984 99.0 
			 Merton E09000024 319 100.0 339 100.0 
			 Redbridge E09000026 2,123 99.6 2,122 99.4 
			 Richmond upon Thames E09000027 846 99.2 761 99.5 
			 Sutton E09000029 1,595 99.9 1,589 99.7 
			 Waltham Forest E09000031 1,227 99.3 1,298 99.7 
			       
			 All state-funded sector2 E92000001 222,503 99.3 222,292 99.4 
			 n/a = not applicable 1 Covers GCSE A level only. 2 Covers all state-funded mainstream schools, academies, free schools, maintained special schools and FE Sector Colleges (excludes Independent Schools, pupil referral units and other Government department funded). 3 Covers students aged 16, 17 or 18 at the start of the 2012-13 academic year, i.e. 31 August 2012. 4 2012-13 is revised, all other years are final. 5 The proportion of students completing at least one A level has been defined as achieving a grade A*-E. Note: Where qualifications taken by a student are in the same subject area and similar in content ‘discounting’ rules have been applied to avoid double counting qualifications. Refer to the Technical Notes section of the statistical first release (SFR). https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/a-level-and-other-level-3-results-england-2012-to-2013-revised Source: Key stage 5 attainment data

Land

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which sites owned by his Department are currently earmarked for disposal; what the current class use is of each site; what the expected planning use is for each site; whether each site already has planning permission for the expected planning use; what the market value of the site is; and whether the site will be sold for the full market value.

Elizabeth Truss: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, my right hon. Friend the Member for Horsham (Mr Maude), on 28 January 2013, Official Report, column 514W.

Pay

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (a) how many and (b) what proportion of staff employed by (i) his Department, (ii) agencies of his Department and (iii) contractors of his Department are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage.

Elizabeth Truss: The Department for Education and its executive agencies have no directly employed staff who are paid below the living wage as defined by the Living Wage Foundation. External contractors providing services to the Department have confirmed that 115 staff are paid less than the living wage. All contract staff are paid above the minimum wage.

Pupil Exclusions

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 6 January 2014, Official Report, columns 100-1W, on pupil exclusion, how many permanent exclusions affecting special educational needs students have been overturned following an independent panel review since 2012.

Elizabeth Truss: The information requested is not held by the Department.

Schools: Soft Drinks

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what guidance he gives on the sale or provision of energy drinks in schools.

Elizabeth Truss: England's school food regulations set out a combination of food and nutrient-based requirements which severely restrict the provision of foods high in fat, salt and sugar, including fizzy drinks.
	The regulations set out the requirements for food and drink provided at both school lunch and other times. This includes breakfast clubs, tuck shops, mid-morning break, vending and after school clubs. The only drinks that may be provided are plain water, plain low-fat milk, plain fruit or vegetable juice, combinations of fruit (at least 50%) and water, flavoured milk containing at least 90% low-fat milk and less than 5% added sugar and tea, coffee or hot chocolate with less than 5% added sugar.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Confiscation Orders

Yvette Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what value of cash and recovered assets has been seized from criminals by each police force in each of the last five years.

Theresa May: holding answer 13 January 2014
	We routinely publish the overall amount of assets recovered on an annual basis, and under this Government more assets have been recovered from criminals than ever before. The value of cash forfeited and assets recovered in each police force is provided in the following table:
	
		
			  2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 
			 Avon and Somerset Constabulary 1,020,047.74 785,484.10 1,594,952.14 1,598,041.26 1.621,449.64 
			 Bedfordshire Police 886,325.17 838,110.36 1,457,875.42 1,346,078.39 1,170,404.68 
			 British Transport Police 191.975.02 877.625.79 593.589.25 301,796.06 703,915.33 
			 Cambridgeshire Constabulary 1,256,702.46 516,377.06 339,889.69 275,885.75 898,772.03 
			 Cheshire Constabulary 1,475,465.12 1,299,427,11 1,138,667,25 1,237,662.17 1.755.200.20 
			 City of London Police 851,808.03 671,739.68 303,108.38 2,412,769.94 1,383,845.23 
			 Cleveland Police 1,085,693.03 1,186,192,07 819,520.72 737,935.47 874.386.92 
			 Cumbria Constabulary 1,111,619.48 879,604.44 894,697.16 577.299.79 478,437,42 
			 Derbyshire Constabulary 703.068.39 764,136.97 993.917.59 922.445.38 865,353.83 
			 Devon and Cornwall Constabulary 1,267,863.25 780,578.10 1,216,996.45 860,819.68 2,032,688.88 
			 Dorset Police 1,207,718.71 663,583.21 631,378.18 991,879.15 650,916.42 
			 Durham Constabulary 645,076.65 427,267.43 586,582.08 238.816.57 242.837.42 
			 Dyfed-Powys Police 314,298.09 345,967.56 199,897.82 439,453.84 109,917.97 
			 Essex Police 715.903.53 549,587,91 542,589.97 773,460.19 2,244,840.43 
			 Gloucestershire Constabulary 1,426,771.85 1,371,982.81 635,697.62 373.805.64 776,309,90 
			 Greater Manchester Police 3,120,106.03 3.636,491,90 4,040,977,42 3,987,525.81 3,527,651.70 
			 Gwent Police 1,324,796.55 960,542.03 816,287.16 429,252.81 548,920.07 
			 Hampshire Constabulary 1,269,317.12 575,948.35 1,212.368.99 1,412,325.28 1,673,729.28 
			 Hertfordshire Constabulary 2,757,708.12 896,873.39 624,849.55 1.323,668.44 1,567,817,58 
			 Humberside Police 908,110.36 963,170.91 1,725,038.86 1,016,893.52 1,132,658.45 
			 Kent Police 1,981,555.07 2,290,811.66 4,118,383.77 1,843,896.79 2.550,180.32 
			 Lancashire Constabulary 2,493,434.02 2,066,011.66 3,124,760.11 1,661,941.77 2,755,246.93 
			 Leicestershire Constabulary 979,099.77 2,808,669.92 2,735,374.64 1,177,271,45 1,335,135,49 
			 Lincolnshire Police 286.407.72 290,530.86 531,683.86 335,342.35 374,735.94 
			 Merseyside Police 4,655,079.92 3.049,485.07 3,099,620.86 3,581,804.16 2,909,663.77 
			 Metropolitan Police Service 19.825,724.26 28,208,001.57 27,191,981.70 28,916,593.80 19,633.673.96 
			 Norfolk Constabulary 948,226.62 516,201.74 601,733.80 710,885.02 789,381.35 
			 North Wales Police 1,260,093.96 678,269.62 1,503,375.72 607,518.77 866,915.83 
			 North Yorkshire Police 478,831.20 231,170.72 930,995.43 585,911.56 274,322.39 
			 Northamptonshire Police 1,193,120.76 446,075.89 1,093,192.21 574,054.48 532,793.49 
			 Northumbria Police 1,853,412.92 916,422.92 1,561,992.67 3,048,635.40 1,372,698.65 
			 Nottinghamshire Police 761,935.93 987,846.83 1,687,879.84 1,139,348.29 1,308,943.24 
			 Police Service of Northern Ireland 996,044.80 1,178,788.04 874,151.29 450,112.48 606,347.30 
			 South Wales Police 1,144,261.29 1.801,967.61 1,741,193.25 1,452,958.42 986,210.64 
			 South Yorkshire Police 1,995,577.05 2,702,743.59 1,091,526.24 1,925,515.40 2,304,354.01 
			 Staffordshire Police 1,965,258.05 1,115,903.74 1,233,822.74 2,076,611.12 1,711,182.37 
			 Suffolk Constabulary 705,966.11 667,026.97 965,334.25 1,947,004.91 734,806.18 
			 Surrey Police 507,698.99 1,181,281.93 681,087.57 735,122.28 697,426.29 
			 Sussex Police 1,666,076.97 1,451,213.91 1,988,717.88 1,658,643.37 1,960,410.42 
			 Thames Valley Police 1,977,364.86 2,194,218.41 1,320,629.12 1,025,863.40 1,543,608.03 
			 Warwickshire Police 246,107.73 327,456.64 273,069.56 363,484.15 425,305.11 
			 West Mercia Constabulary 582,426.60 1,298,765.47 864,763.40 887,438.42 786,281.97 
			 West Midlands Police 3,743,951.24 3,515,199.45 4,091,406.90 4,578,093.53 6,200,033.70 
			 West Yorkshire Police 2,595,355.65 3,798,642.20 3,380,415.50 7,928,231.24 5,347,093.22 
			 Wiltshire Constabulary 229,904.02 1,525,524.61 907,742.04 371,454.40 326,818.02 
		
	
	A total of £420.15 million has been recovered across England and Wales in the last five years.

Criminal Investigation: International Cooperation

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her Department's policy is on granting requests for mutual legal assistance from countries with which the UK does not have diplomatic relations.

Mark Harper: holding answer 20 January 2014
	The UK can provide mutual legal assistance (MLA) to any country or territory in the world. The UK Central Authority (UKCA) considers each mutual legal assistance (MLA) request on a case by case basis, taking into account all applicable domestic and international law obligations and any wider policy issues which may apply. A non-exhaustive list of reasons why a MLA request could be refused by UKCA can be found at page 11 of the MLA guidance published on
	www.gov.uk

Immigration

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the level of net immigration into the UK was in each year since 1990.

Nick Hurd: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Cabinet Office.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated January 2014
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the level of net immigration into the UK was in each year since 1990 [184519].
	ONS produces estimates of Long-Term International Migration (LTIM), primarily based on data from the International Passenger Survey (IPS), with adjustments made for asylum seekers, people whose intentions change with regard to their length of stay, and migration to and from Northern Ireland. LTIM estimates are based on the United Nations definition of a long-term international migrant, that is, someone who changes their country of usual residence for a period of at least one year.
	ONS has published estimates of LTIM since 1991; the latest available calendar year estimates of LTIM are for 2012. Table 1 shows LTIM estimates of net migration to the UK from 1991 to 2012.
	
		
			 Table 1: Net migration to the UK, 1991 to 2012 
			  Net migration (thousand) 
			 1991 + 44 
			 1992 - 13 
			 1993 - 1 
			 1994 + 77 
			 1995 + 76 
			 1996 + 55 
			 1997 + 48 
			 1998 + 140 
			 1999 + 163 
			 2000 + 158 
			 2001 + 171 
			 2002 + 153 
			 2003 + 148 
			 2004 + 245 
			 2005 + 206 
			 2006 + 198 
			 2007 + 233 
			 2008 + 163 
			 2009 + 198 
			 2010 + 252 
			 2011 + 215 
			 2012 + 177 
			 Note: Net migration is calculated as immigration minus emigration. Source: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/migration1/long-term-international-migration/2012/table-2-01a.xls 
		
	
	Provisional LTIM estimates for calendar year 2013 will become available on 22 May 2014.
	It should be noted that in light of the results of the 2011 Census revised net migration figures have been published as components of change in revised mid-year population estimates from the year to mid-2002 to the year to mid-2012 for the United Kingdom. These include a revision to the net migration component, focussed primarily on the middle part of the decade before improvements were made to the International Passenger Survey in 2009. This revised series of net migration is shown in Table 2:
	
		
			 Table 2: Population Estimates for United Kingdom: Components of Change for Net International Migration for the year to mid-2002 to the year to mid-2012 
			  Net migration (thousand) 
			 2001-02 + 174 
			 2002-03 + 172 
			 2003-04 + 194 
			 2004-05 + 320 
			 2005-06 + 234 
			 2006-07 + 287 
			 2007-08 + 267 
			 2008-09 + 205 
			 2009-10 + 244 
			 2010-11 + 263 
			 2011-12 + 164 
			 Note: Net migration is calculated as immigration minus emigration, Estimates are for net international migration to the UK for the year ending 30 June e.g. estimates for 2001-02 are for the year ending 30 June 2002. Source: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/pop-estimate/population-estimates-for-uk--england-and-wales--scotland-and-northern-ireland/mid-2001-to-mid-2010-revised/chd---chart-3.xls

Police: Firearms

George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will make it her policy that when police officers are involved in the shooting of civilians, the officers involved are immediately interviewed separately about the incident.

Damian Green: The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) will be consulting on potential changes to their statutory guidance under section 22 of the Police Reform Act 2002 so as to include this issue. As the body responsible for setting standards for police practice, it is right that the College of Policing should consider whether their existing authorised professional practice (APP) on armed policing should be amended in light of forthcoming IPCC guidance. Any change in statutory guidance by either the college or the IPCC will be for the Secretary of State for the Home Department to approve.

Prisons: Emergency Services

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much it costs on average to call out the (a) police and (b) ambulance service to a prison.

Damian Green: Information on the average cost to call out the police to a prison is not collected centrally by the Home Office or Ministry of Justice.
	Information on the average cost of an ambulance service call out to a prison is not collected centrally by the Department of Health or NHS England.

WALES

Curzon Institute

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent contact his Department has had with (a) Curzon Education and (b) the Curzon Institute; what contracts his Department holds with those bodies; and what the value of those contracts is.

Stephen Crabb: The Wales Office has had no contact with Curzon Education or the Curzon Institute and holds no contracts with those bodies.

Pay

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (a) how many and (b) what proportion of staff employed by (i) his Department and (ii) contractors of his Department are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage.

Stephen Crabb: The Wales Office has no direct employees or contracted workers. Staff at the Wales Office are subject to Ministry of Justice (MOJ) policies for pay purposes. No Wales Office staff are paid less than the living wage.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Curzon Institute

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent contact her Department has had with (a) Curzon Education and (b) the Curzon Institute; what contracts her Department holds with those bodies; and what the value of those contracts is.

Theresa Villiers: My Department has not had any contact with (a) Curzon Education or (b) the Curzon Institute. My Department does not hold any contracts with these bodies.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Occupational Health

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to the answer of 14 January 2014, Official Report, column 477W, on occupational health, what budgets were available for services provided to staff of the House to enhance their health and well-being by outside providers including occupational therapists, counselling, classes and other activities.

John Thurso: The House of Commons budget allocated for health and wellbeing services provided by external providers during 2013-14 is approximately £100,000. Of this, £87,000 is for the provision of a consultant occupational health physician service; the costs for this service cover both Members and staff, and cannot be split between the two.
	Specific to staff of the House, approximately £11,000 is spent on a physiotherapy service and some £2,000 has been allocated for counselling services. Counselling is also provided in-house by the welfare officers. There is also a parliamentary gym, which is funded by user subscriptions. In addition, just over £20,000 is expected to be spent on training courses relating to Health and Safety, a number of which are related to health and wellbeing issues.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Floods: Berkshire

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what reports he has received from the Environment Agency on the potential contribution of the management of the Jubilee River to flood levels in Wraysbury, Datchet, Hythe End and the surrounding areas.

Dan Rogerson: Following the construction of the Jubilee river and the January 2003 floods, a number of independent reports have been carried out to investigate the impact on the properties downstream of the Jubilee river. The independent reports, which included modelling, found that there would be no increased flood risk to properties downstream of the Jubilee river. The Environment Agency can provide these reports.

Floods: Thames Valley

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what reasons the Environment Agency has given for the length of time it took them to warn local councils and residents about potential flooding in the Thames Valley region during the recent severe weather.

Dan Rogerson: On 20 December 2013, the Environment Agency advised the Thames Valley and Surrey Local Resilience partners of the potential for flooding. The Environment Agency based this on the weather forecast for that day. The Local Resilience Forum partners include emergency planning staff from local authorities and the emergency services.
	The Environment Agency held daily telephone conference calls with both Thames Valley and Surrey Local Resilience partners from 23 December until 14 January. As the flooding escalated in Surrey, the conference calls were replaced with face to face meetings to respond to the event on a tactical level. The Environment Agency sent representatives to these meetings, which were held on a daily basis between 6 January and 12 January.
	Between 20 December and 14 January 2014, the Environment Agency issued 55 flood warnings for the River Thames. These warnings went to 25,096 properties registered to receive the flood warning service. The Local Resilience Forum partners (Thames Valley and Surrey) are also registered to receive these warnings.
	The Environment Agency endeavours to give a minimum of two hours notice before any property floods. The Environment Agency is currently investigating the notice given for each of the flood warnings issued. This is standard practise following a flood and the Environment Agency will publish the findings in its flood report.

Floods: Yorkshire and the Humber

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was spent on flood defences under the Humber Floods Strategy in each of the last five years.

Dan Rogerson: Since the beginning of the 2008-09 financial year, and up until December 2013 in the current financial year, approximately £60 million of DEFRA flood and coastal erosion risk management grant in aid has been spent on flood defence activities within the Humber Strategy area, and as shown in the following table:
	
		
			 £ 
			  2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-141 Total 
			 Capital Defence works 7,121 17,402 11,209 3,085 10,850 5,788 55,455 
			 Revenue (Maintenance) 1,626 138 840 388 790 1,193 4,975 
			 1 To 13 December only

Floods: Yorkshire and the Humber

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was spent on flood defences in the area covered by the Lower Aire Flood Risk Management Strategy in each of the last five years.

Dan Rogerson: Over the last five years (2008-09 to 2012-13), approximately £3.2 million of DEFRA flood and coastal erosion risk management grant in aid has been spent on flood defence activities in the Lower Aire Flood Risk Management Strategy area.
	
		
			 £000 
			  2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 Total 
			 Capital 172 390 260 196 85 1,103 
			 Revenue 306 431 285 345 778 2,145 
			 Totals 478 821 545 541 863 3,248

Forests

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which projects funded by his Department use afforestation as a means to reduce flooding.

Dan Rogerson: The allocation of DEFRA grant in aid for flood and coastal erosion risk management projects is undertaken by the Environment Agency. The Environment Agency does not hold central records identifying ail the projects that it has funded which use afforestation as a means to reduce flooding.
	However, afforestation is funded where there is sufficient evidence that it will reduce flood risk or for experimental purposes. The “Slowing the Flow” project in North Yorkshire is an example. There are also a number of studies led by the Forestry Commission in the catchments of the River Parrett in Somerset, River Irthing in Northumberland and River Usk in Wales designed to provide evidence of the impacts that forests and forest management could have on reducing flooding.

Forests: Finance

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what reasons the England Woodland Grants Scheme was closed.

Dan Rogerson: The English Woodland Grant Scheme is not closed. It continues to operate as a part of the Rural Development Programme for England during the transition phase in 2014. Certain elements have been closed to new applications:
	(a) Woodland Management Grant (five year annual payments). This has been closed to new applications because it is not permissible to enter into new commitments for these 'multi-annual payments' during the transition period.
	(b) Woodland Creation Grant. This has been closed to new applications because (subject to a planned stocktake in April 2014 of any deferrals from the current planting season) the budget is fully allocated for this measure for the 2014-15 season. It is intended to take new applications when the programme is approved in early 2015 for the 2015-16 planting season.

Forests: Finance

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many England Woodland Grants have been given out in each year since that scheme's inception.

Dan Rogerson: The English Woodland Grant Scheme was introduced in 2005 and a total of 16,485 grant agreements have been approved by the Forestry Commission. The figures for each year are given in the following table.
	
		
			  Number 
			 2005 124 
			 2006 2,287 
			 2007 647 
			 2008 1,585 
			 2009 1,920 
			 2010 2,093 
			 2011 2,320 
			 2012 2,209 
			 2013 3,265 
			 2014 35

Forests: Finance

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many England Woodland Grant applications were (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful; and what the location of each such application was.

Dan Rogerson: The following table gives a breakdown of successful and unsuccessful England Woodland Grant Scheme applications by region.
	
		
			  Successful Unsuccessful 
			 East and East Midlands 3,453 156 
			 North West and West Midlands 3,729 156 
			 South East and London 3,521 125 
			 South West 3,304 143 
			 Yorkshire and North East 2,478 97 
			 Total England 16,485 677

Livestock: Wales

Glyn Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much livestock originating in Wales has been slaughtered in England in each of the last 10 years; how much levy has not been paid in Wales as a result; and if he will revise how this levy is distributed to reflect this matter.

George Eustice: DEFRA does not have statistics on the number of livestock originating in Wales and slaughtered in England.
	Red meat levy is a devolved matter. The levy is collected at the point of slaughter or export by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) (England), Hybu Cig Cymru (HCC) (Wales), Quality Meat Scotland (Scotland) and Livestock and Meat Commission for Northern Ireland. Red meat levy collection in Wales is a matter for HCC.
	We will be undertaking a consultation later this year on the regulations governing the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board. The consultation will seek views on the red meat levy collection and distribution system. In the meantime, the red meat levy-collecting bodies in the UK have established a forum so that there is better co-ordination of decisions about how red meat levy is spent across all parts of the UK. This forum is also looking at other options for red meat levy collection and distribution.

River Lymington

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will take steps to recover costs against the Lymington River Association in the event that their application for an oral hearing is successful but the hearing rules against them.

George Eustice: holding answer 27 January 2014
	DEFRA is not involved in the current case, which we understand is being pursued against the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.

River Lymington

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total cost to the public purse is to date of processing applications made by the Lymington River Association in relation to Wightlink Ferries operations in the Lymington River.

George Eustice: holding answer 27 January 2014
	The legal costs to DEFRA and Natural England in the December 2009 Judicial Review hearing against DEFRA and Wightlink amounted to £23,230. This is the amount paid for legal counsel and does not include the Department's staff time, which officials have been unable to ascertain. DEFRA was also ordered to pay a contribution of £30,000 to the successful claimant's costs. A further fee of £4,260 was paid in relation to additional advice from Counsel concerning subsequent correspondence from the claimants. Interested parties in this case included Natural England, Lymington Harbour Commissioners and New Forest District Council. The latter two bodies may have also incurred legal costs, having been represented at the hearings, but DEFRA does not hold records of such costs. Natural England was not represented at the hearing but is likely to have incurred costs in relation to its own staff time supporting the Department in the case. However, again, the Department has no record of these.
	We understand that the Department for Communities and Local Government's total costs from pre-action stage to the application to the Court of Appeal amounted to £13,954.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

Pay

Chris Bryant: To ask the Attorney-General (a) how many and (b) what proportion of staff employed by (i) the Law Officers' Departments, (ii) agencies of the Law Officers' Departments and (iii) contractors of the Law Officers' Departments are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage.

Oliver Heald: The CPS currently employs three staff whose salary is below the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation, This equates to less than 0.01% of the workforce. As a result of planned changes to rates of pay, all three employees will be paid salaries in excess of the living wage by 31 March 2014.
	No direct employees or temporary workers employed by the remaining Law Officers' Departments are paid less than the living wage.
	A complete record on the pay arrangements for staff employed by companies contracted to provide services to the Law Officers' Departments is not held and could not be provided without incurring a disproportionate cost.

Prosecutions

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General how many prosecutions were commenced by the Crown Prosecution Service for each offence category in (a) the Crown Court and (b) the magistrates' court in each year from 2007-08 to 2012-13.

Oliver Heald: The Crown Prosecution Service' (CPS) maintains a central record of the outcome of prosecution proceedings divided into twelve principal offence categories. The Principal Offence Category is assigned at the end of a prosecution case to indicate the most serious offence with which the defendant is charged at the time, of finalisation. It is not possible to disaggregate the number of prosecutions for individual offences recorded in each category.
	In each of the last six years the number of completed prosecutions in the Crown court and in magistrates courts, for each principal offence category, was as follows:
	
		
			 (a) Crown court 
			  2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 
			 A Homicide 1,104 1,261 1,059 979 858 949 
			 B Offences Against The Person 25,504 25,564 28,480 31,060 26,822 22,297 
			 C Sexual Offences 7,505 7,779 8,167 9,306 8,835 8,223 
			 D Burglary 9,403 10,357 10,900 11,691 12,189 11,786 
			 E Robbery 8,828 8,800 8,638 8,744 9,003 8,073 
			 F Theft And Handling 7,618 8,150 8,551 9,568 8,817 7,630 
			 G Fraud And Forgery 5,231 6,400 6,716 6,897 6,623 16,900 
			 H Criminal Damage 1,330 1,315 1,526 1,487 1,383 1,172 
			 I Drugs Offences 11,416 13,331 14,178 15,570 15,677 14,936 
			 J Public Order Offences 6,588 7,274 7,928 8,198 6,704 5,424 
			 K All Other Offences (excluding Motoring) 6,292 6,575 7,040 7,639 6,877 6,675 
			 L Motoring Offences 2,888 2,988 3,094 3,014 2,608 22,256 
			 1 On 1 April 2012, the prosecution function of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) merged with the CPS. 2 On 3 September 2012, changes to the Specified Proceedings Order 1999 came into force to give the police the power to prosecute some uncontested, low-level traffic offences (like speeding, driving without insurance, or failing to produce a driving licence). In November 2012 further changes to the Specified Proceedings Order 1999 came into force to extend the offences which the police can prosecute. A full list of police led prosecution offences is available on: www.gov.uk 
		
	
	
		
			 (b) Magistratescourts 
			  2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 
			 A Homicide 168 132 116 58 64 77 
			 B Offences Against The Person 124,872 116,981 116,474 120,686 118,615 109,255 
			 C Sexual Offences 3,594 3,099 3,007 3,166 2,900 2,779 
			 D Burglary 20,229 18,726 16,611 17,458 17,091 13,501 
			 E Robbery 5,367 4,393 4,049 4,270 4,475 3,599 
			 F Theft And Handling 139,076 142,358 132,804 137,514 138,104 128,601 
			 G Fraud And Forgery 7,100 7,953 7,400 7,280 7,015 111,658 
			 H. Criminal Damage 51,186 48,034 45,218 43,331 40,415 35,422 
			 I Drugs Offences 41,884 48,035 49,586 54,071 51,952 46,181 
			 J Public Order Offences 94,910 89,520 84,539 80,627 69,246 55,936 
			 K All Other Offences (excluding Motoring) 44,284 46,012 44,417 46,854 44,540 39,344 
			 L Motoring Offences 388,752 363,484 334,184 293,584 260,801 2229,879 
			 1 On 1 April 2012, the prosecution function of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) merged with the CPS. 2 On 3 September 2012, changes to the Specified Proceedings Order 1999 came into force to give the police the power to prosecute some uncontested, low-level traffic offences (like speeding, driving without insurance, or failing to produce a driving licence). In November 2012 further changes to the Specified Proceedings Order 1999 came into force to extend the offences which the police can prosecute. A full list of police led prosecution offences is available on: www.gov.uk 
		
	
	The principal offence category data represented in these tables are understated. Prosecutions which resulted in an administrative finalisation or where a principal offence category is not allocated have been excluded.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Bookmakers

Gerry Sutcliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions her Department has had with HM Treasury on the potential effect of the Fourth EU Anti Money Laundering Directive on the bookmaking industry; and if she will make a statement.

Edward Vaizey: Officials in DCMS are in regular contact with officials at HM Treasury regarding the Fourth EU Anti-Money Laundering Directive. The Government considers that extension of the Directive to gambling services should be based on an assessment of risk.

Marriage

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether couples who registered for a civil partnership before the date of commencement of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 was known but whose ceremonies are due to take place after commencement of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 will be able to change their ceremony from a civil partnership to marriage without further registration.

Edward Vaizey: holding answer 28 January 2014
	Civil partnership and marriage are registered under separate pieces of legislation, so a notice given for one cannot be used for the other. If a couple now wish to marry instead of form a civil partnership, they will need to give notice of marriage. This must be done at least 16 days before the date of the ceremony.

Pay

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (a) how many and (b) what proportion of staff employed by (i) her Department, (ii) agencies of her Department and (iii) contractors of her Department are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage.

Edward Vaizey: DCMS does not have any direct employees who are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage.
	DCMS is not responsible for setting pay levels for contracted workers. This is a matter for the organisations who employ them. However, we actively encourage employers to ensure that the living wage is paid and we would monitor these when contracts are being negotiated.
	We do not hold central records for our arm’s length bodies.

Public Libraries: Greater London

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  how many libraries were closed in London in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many libraries there were in each London borough in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012 and (d) 2013.

Edward Vaizey: The detail requested is not held centrally by this Department. The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) collect, annually, figures relating to library service provision in the United Kingdom. Copies of CIPFA statistics are available in the House Library.

TV Licensing

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make it her policy to instruct TV Licensing to publish the name and contact details of the Head of TV Licensing on their website.

Edward Vaizey: The contact details for the Head of Revenue Management are on the TV Licensing website at present. They are available at the following link:
	http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/search?q=head+of+TV+licensing

TREASURY

Autumn Statement

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what day and time he released the text of his autumn statement to (a) the BBC, (b) other broadcasters, (c) other media and (d) hon. Members.

Nicky Morgan: In line with the practice followed by successive Administrations, the autumn statement was released to Parliament and the media at the conclusion of the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s speech.

Bank Services

Robert Halfon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of how many adults in the UK are not able to open a fully functioning bank account.

Sajid Javid: The Government has made no such estimate.
	The Government is committed to improving access to financial services. To this end the major UK banks voluntarily offer basic bank accounts alongside their other retail current accounts.
	As recommended by the Parliamentary Commission on Banking Standards, the Government is currently taking forward discussions with the banking sector to seek a voluntary agreement on renewed minimum standards for basic bank accounts.

Business: Loans

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the level of bank lending to businesses since May 2010.

George Osborne: The Government is committed to supporting British businesses and recognises the importance that businesses play in the economy. Since 2010, the Government has introduced several measures aimed at improving lending to businesses, notably the Business Bank and the Funding for Lending Scheme.
	The Funding for Lending Scheme was extended in April 2013. Subsequently, in November 2013, the Government announced that the scheme will be focused on business lending, and on SMEs in particular. Recent evidence from external commentators shows that credit conditions have improved significantly for businesses, including small businesses.

Charitable Donations

David Blunkett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department is taking to encourage its employees to make tax-free donations direct from their salaries.

Nicky Morgan: HM Treasury publishes information on payroll giving on the intranet. A group of departmental volunteers has been set up to raise awareness of payroll giving in the department. In addition representatives from payroll giving in action visit HM Treasury on an annual basis to promote payroll giving.
	In 2013 HM Treasury received a silver award which demonstrates that at least 5% of staff donate to charity through the payroll.

Child Benefit

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were in receipt of child benefit in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK in the latest period for which figures are available.

Nicky Morgan: The latest information on the number of families receiving child benefit, by each parliamentary constituency, local authority and region is available in the HMRC snapshot publication ‘Child Benefit Statistics Geographical Analysis. August 2012’. This can be found at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/statistics/child-geog-stats/chb-geog-aug12.xls
	Table 5 has this information by local authority. Table 6 has this information by Westminster parliamentary constituency.

Corporation Tax: Barrow in Furness

John Woodcock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was paid in corporation tax by businesses registered in Barrow and Furness constituency in the last year for which figures are available; and what proportion of such taxation was paid by small and medium-sized enterprises.

David Gauke: Since 2010 the Government has cut the main rate of corporation tax from 28% to 23%. It will fall further to 20% by April 2015. The small profits rate has also been cut to 20%. These corporation tax cuts will be worth around £7.8 billion per year to business by 2016-17.
	The amount of corporation tax liable for payment by businesses with a registered address in the Barrow and Furness constituency for accounting periods ending in financial year 2011-12 was £16 million. This is the latest year for which figures are available. We are unable to disclose the proportion of the total that relates to small and medium-sized companies as this would be a breach to HMRC's statistical disclosure control policy to protect taxpayer confidentiality.

EU Grants and Loans

Stephen Phillips: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the efficacy of EU macro-assistance programmes.

Nicky Morgan: The European Union provides financial assistance to non-euro area member states via the EU Balance of Payments (EUBoP) facility and to countries that are not part of the EU but which are considered economically, politically or geographically important to the EU through Macro Financial Assistance (MFA).
	These facilities are provided alongside support from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and are disbursed in tranches following reviews of compliance with strict conditionality. The Government closely monitors the use of these facilities and supports EU efforts to provide assistance under exceptional circumstances and as a temporary measure.
	The EU has also previously committed to providing assistance under the European Financial Stabilisation Mechanism (EFSM) which was established following the ECOFIN meeting of 9 May 2010, before the formation of the coalition Government. The Prime Minister secured assurance at the June 2012 European Council that the EFSM would make no further commitments. The UK is not a participant in the new, permanent European Stability Mechanism (ESM).
	The decision to provide assistance under the mechanisms mentioned is subject to UK parliamentary scrutiny.

Excise Duties: Fuels

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what recent assessment he has made of the operation of the Rural Fuel Rebate Scheme;
	(2)  what discussions he has had with his counterpart in the Northern Ireland Executive on the level of petrol and diesel prices in Northern Ireland; and what assessment he has made of the applicability of the Rural Fuel Rebate Scheme to Northern Ireland;
	(3)  what assessment he has made of the effect of Government policies on differences in fuel prices in different regions of the UK;
	(4)  if he will review the criteria for inclusion of areas in the Rural Fuel Rebate Scheme.

Danny Alexander: The current rural fuel rebate scheme came into effect in March 2012 and allows retailers of road fuel within the Inner and Outer Hebrides, the Northern Isles, the Islands of the Clyde and the Isles of Scilly to register with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to claim back a five pence per litre relief on unleaded petrol and diesel.
	HMRC's evaluation finds the scheme to be effectively meeting the policy objective by reducing the pump prices faced by motorists in the scheme, link to evaluation report:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/research/rural-fuel-duty-relief.pdf
	The Government routinely meets representatives from devolved Administrations on a range of issues. The Government has submitted an application to the European Commission (EC) to request an extension of the rural fuel rebate scheme to 17 of the most rural areas in mainland UK. The areas have been identified in accordance with a number of strict criteria which the Government considers will be critical to their assessment. No areas in Northern. Ireland were found to meet these criteria.
	The Government is committed to supporting remote rural areas of the UK faced with high pump prices. The Government has submitted an application to the European Commission to request an extension of the scheme.

Floods: Oxford

Andrew Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if his Department will estimate the cost to the economy of the recent flooding in the Oxford area.

Dan Rogerson: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
	It is too soon to evaluate the economic impact of the recent floods. Any economic assessment would be at a national scale rather than by location. The Department will consider any evidence provided to it relating to local impacts as part of that evaluation.

Fuels: Northern Ireland

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many meetings he has had with representatives of petrol and diesel retailers in Northern Ireland on (a) levels of fuel laundering and fraud and (b) the effect of fuel duty and VAT on the levels of prices for petrol and diesel in the last six months.

Nicky Morgan: Treasury Ministers and officials routinely meet with a wide range of stakeholders as part of the process of policy development.
	Details of ministerial and Permanent Secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel

Fuels: Tax Evasion

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many HM Revenue and Customs officers in Northern Ireland are assigned to tackling fuel fraud.

Nicky Morgan: It is not possible to answer this question definitively, as teams within HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) are structured in a multifunctional way to respond flexibly to resource demands.
	In addition to front line operational staff, officers working in other areas of HMRC including criminal investigation, excise duties/direct tax and VAT are all involved in work which supports the oils strategy. HMRC also continues to work with other law enforcement agencies and Government Departments both at homeland abroad to tackle fuel fraud and respond to new threats.

Garages and Petrol Stations

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the findings of the Barlow Powell report into vapour recovery, submitted to HM Revenue and Customs by the Petrol Retailers' Association in May 2011; and if he will make a statement.

Nicky Morgan: The Chancellor of the Exchequer routinely receives a range of representations from stakeholders on issues relating to fuel duty. HMRC officials are aware of the concerns raised in this report and have met with the PRA to discuss this and other matters affecting their members.

Government Banking Service

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the net gain accruing to the Exchequer through reduced costs of borrowing if (a) local authorities and (b) Department of Health trusts and foundation trusts were brought into the scope of the Government Banking Service.

Danny Alexander: All Government Departments and most public bodies bank with the Government Banking Service (GBS). The balances held at the GBS are utilised to reduce the Government's daily borrowing requirement which reduces its financing costs.
	(a) The Treasury and GBS do not offer local authorities the ability to bank with the GBS. This is because they are not Exchequer bodies and once funded the Exchequer has no control over when funds are spent.
	The local authority capital financing and investment frameworks are operated under the principle that local authorities, as democratically elected and autonomous bodies, are responsible and accountable for managing their own borrowing and cash investment decisions. The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) provides high level guidance on local cash investment policy, in particular outlining the importance of security and liquidity over yield.
	DCLG decide when local authorities should be funded and the timing of that funding is what impacts on the daily borrowing costs of the Exchequer. We therefore have not calculated possible savings to the Exchequer.
	(b) Department of Health trusts and foundation trusts already have accounts at the Government Banking service. NHS trusts are public bodies, required under legal direction issued jointly by the Department of Health and the Treasury, to ensure that average cleared balances held outside of the Exchequer pyramid do not exceed £50,000. In the foundation trust sector, Department of Health are not prescriptive on banking issues and do not have the legal powers to direct on such matters. Foundation trusts have the freedom to decide locally how to deliver best value from their income and this may include the use of commercial accounts. But Department of Health fund foundation trusts via their GBS accounts.
	The Department of Health has changed the policy by which the dividend on the investment in NHS Providers is calculated. From 2013-14 the average balance over the financial year held in commercial accounts, rather than the year-end balance, will contribute towards the calculation of the dividend charge. This provides an extra incentive for Providers to hold cash balances at GBS, rather than commercial accounts, throughout the year and prevent unnecessary movements between GBS and commercial accounts at year-end.
	The Treasury provides an annual update to the public accounts committee on cash held outside the Exchequer/Government Banking Service. The most recent update published on 13 January 2014 showed that foundation trusts at June 2013 had £222 million outside the GBS. If this £222 million was held in the GBS a further saving of at least £1.1 million could be made each year.

ICT

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people are employed within centralised IT departments or teams in his Department; and if he will make a statement.

Nicky Morgan: The total number of people employed within HM Treasury centralised IT departments or teams is 48. These staff provided IT services to both Cabinet Office and HM Treasury. This compares to 57 in 2008 for HM Treasury.

Infrastructure

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of GDP was spent on infrastructure projects in the most recent year for which data is available.

Danny Alexander: The Government does not publish outturn or forecast data for expenditure on infrastructure projects as a proportion of GDP.
	Table 4.15 of the independent Office for Budget Responsibility's December 2013 Economic and Fiscal Outlook sets out public sector gross investment (PSGI) as a percent of GDP—and shows that in 2012-13 PSGI was 2.8% of GDP.
	Further information on infrastructure investment can be found in the National Infrastructure Plan 2013, which is available on the Infrastructure UK website.

Money Laundering: EU Action

Gerry Sutcliffe: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions have taken place between officials representing his Department and their counterparts in EU member states on amendments tabled to the Fourth EU Anti Money Laundering Directive; and if he will make a statement.

Sajid Javid: HM Treasury is leading negotiations for the UK on the Fourth Money Laundering Directive, proposals for which were published on 5 February 2013. Treasury officials have engaged with counterparts in other member states since then, through bilateral discussions and participation in EU Council Working Group meetings.
	I anticipate issuing a further statement following Council agreement of a general approach to proposals for the directive.

New Towns

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what work his Department has contributed to the drafting of a report or prospectus on garden cities since May 2010.

Danny Alexander: Since May 2010, the Treasury has worked with DCLG on a range of policies to support housing supply, including the Government's Affordable Housing Programme, the Get Britain Building and Build to Rent schemes, and the locally-led large sites programme, which was extended at autumn statement 2013.

Pay

Chris Bryant: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (a) how many and (b) what proportion of staff employed by (i) his Department, (ii) agencies of his Department and (iii) contractors of his Department are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage.

Nicky Morgan: No direct employees of HM Treasury, Office of Budget Responsibility and Debt Management Office are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage.
	HM Treasury fully complies with EU procurement directives and awards contracts on the basis of the best value for money for the taxpayer. Nevertheless, the Department has encouraged contractors to commit to paying a living wage and expect all employers to pay at least the national minimum wage.
	Government has encouraged contractors by publicly expressing support to paying the London living wage where it is possible to do so.

Public Expenditure

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to ensure that all Government expenditure allocation through local authorities, health organisations, schools, police, fire and other authorities reflects current local population growth as well as historic census data.

Danny Alexander: Departmental forecasts for demand for public services are reflected in departmental budgets agreed at spending reviews. Departments are responsible for managing their allocations to public service delivery bodies within these overall budgets. Allocation methodologies are kept under review to ensure they are based on the most appropriate data available.

Public Finance

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what the Government deficit was, expressed as a proportion of gross domestic product and including forecast projections into future years, in each year since 1990;
	(2)  what the Government budget deficit was, expressed as a proportion of gross domestic product, in each year since May 2010;
	(3)  what total Government spending was, expressed as a proportion of gross domestic product, in each year since 1990.

Nicky Morgan: According to the latest public sector finances statistical bulletin:
	Public sector net borrowing (PSNB) excluding the impact of large one-off transfers for Royal Mail pension assets and the Asset Purchase Facility, was 1.0% of GDP in 1990-91 but rose to 10.9% of GDP in 2009-10. As a result of action by this Government net borrowing as a percentage of GDP has fallen in each year since May 2010 and stood at 7.3% of GDP in 2012-13, the last full year for which information is available. The full time series is as follows.
	The independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) is responsible for producing the official economic and fiscal forecasts in the UK on which fiscal policy is based. According to the OBR's December 2013 Economic and fiscal outlook, PSNB is forecast to fall in each year of the forecast period reaching -0.1 % (surplus) by 2018-19. Full time series of forecasts for 2013-14 to 2018-19 have been appended to out-turn estimates as follows.
	Total managed expenditure (TME) was 39.2% of GDP in 1990-91 and rose to 47.0% by 2009-10. It has since fallen to 42.8% of GDP in 2012-13, the last full year for which information is available. The full time series is as follows.
	
		
			  PSNB ex (ex RM and APF) (£ million) PSNB ex (ex RM and APF) as percentage of GDP Total managed expenditure (£ million) Total managed expenditure (percentage of GDP) GDP at mkt prices (£ million) 
			 1990-91 5,848 1.0 227,500 39.2 580,926 
			 1991-92 22,642 3.7 254,200 41.4 614,012 
			 1992-93 46,696 7.3 274,200 43.1 635,991 
			 1993-94 51,031 7.5 286,300 42.4 676,027 
			 1994-95 43,263 6.0 299,200 41.8 716,435 
			 1995-96 34,740 4.6 311,400 41.0 759,392 
			 1996-97 27,107 3,3 315,800 39.0 809,434 
			 1997-98 6,315 0.7 323,400 37.8 856,014 
			 1998-99 4,065 -0.5 332,400 36.8 903,201 
			 1999-2000 14,888 -1.6 344,900 36.2 953,810 
			 2000-01 39,244 -3.9 343,800 34.3 1,000,990 
			 2001-02 2,197 0.2 392,200 37.7 1,040,339 
			 2002-03 27,759 2.5 423,900 38.6 1,098,061 
			 2003-04 34,937 3.0 458,300 39.4 1,164,429 
			 2004-05 42,570 3.5 495,800 40.3 1,229,516 
			 2005-06 39,032 3.0 526,800 40.7 1,295,438 
			 2006-07 34,824 2.5 553,800 40.4 1,369,907 
			 2007-08 37,951 2.6 587,100 40.5 1,447,844 
			 2008-09 99,355 6.9 635,600 44.1 1,442,253 
			 2009-10 157,293 11.0 673,400 47.0 1,432,213 
			 2010-11 139,421 9.3 694,700 46.2 1,502,176 
			 2011-12 117,612 7.6 694,300 44.8 1,549,085 
			 2012-13 114,908 7.3 673,600 42.8 1,573,541 
			 2013-14 111,200 6.8 717,800 43.7 1,642,000 
			 2014-15 96,000 5.6 730,500 42.7 1,712,000 
			 2015-16 78,700 4.4 744,300 41.9 1,777,000 
			 2016-17 51,100 2.7 756,300 40.7 1,857,000 
			 2017-18 23,400 1.2 765,500 39.5 1,940,000 
			 2018-19 2,200 -0.1 778,700 38.4 2,026,000

Public Sector Relocation Independent Review

Gary Streeter: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 12 November 2013, Official Report, column 586W, on public sector relocation independent review, whether the payment made to Sir Michael Lyons included a sum to cover VAT liability; whether his overall remuneration was paid to him personally or through a personal service company; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the contract.

Nicky Morgan: In line with the practice followed by successive Administrations, it would not be proper to discuss individuals' tax affairs. Individuals' terms of employment, including their contractual arrangements, are commercially confidential.

Recruitment

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of staff recruited to his Department since 5 May 2010 were (a) men and (b) women.

Nicky Morgan: The Treasury have recruited the following number of men and women since 5 May 2010:
	
		
			  Gender  
			 Period Female Male Grand total 
			 2012-13 123 168 291 
			 2011-12 133 165 298 
			 2010-11 98 118 216 
			 2009-10 172 219 391 
			 2008-09 201 242 443

Secondment

Julie Elliott: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many individuals employed by (a) major UK utility companies, (b) Energy UK and (c) any related energy utility organisation were seconded to his Department in (i) 2010, (ii) 2011, (iii) 2012 and (iv) 2013.

Nicky Morgan: Since January 2010 there has been (a) one secondment from a major utility company, (b) none from Energy UK and (c) none from other related energy utility organisations.

Tax Allowances: Agriculture

Andrew George: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what fiscal incentives he has put in place to encourage share farming.

David Gauke: Many of the features of the tax system which are aimed at encouraging business investment and supporting growth apply to share farming as they do to other forms of farming and to businesses generally. For example, in 2011 the Government increased the lifetime limit for Entrepreneurs' Relief, which provides a reduced, rate of capital gains tax for many sales of businesses, business assets and shares, from £5 million to £10 million. Also, in 2013 the annual investment allowance, providing an immediate tax deduction for expenditure; on plant or machinery, was increased from £25,000 to £250,000 for two years from 1 January 2013.

Television

Michael Dugher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many flat screen televisions have been purchased by his Department in the last 24 months; and what the cost to the public purse was of such purchases.

Nicky Morgan: I can confirm that in the last 24 months, HM Treasury purchased 10 flat screen televisions at a total cost of £4,202.80.
	These were purchased for use by the Government Olympic Communication Team to help deliver a successful Games for the country.

Work Programme

Stephen Timms: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people his Department employed directly from the Work programme in (a) 2011, (b) 2012 and (c) 2013 to date.

Nicky Morgan: HM Treasury has not employed anybody directly from the Work programme.
	The Work programme is a major new payment-for-results welfare-to-work programme that launched throughout Great Britain in June 2011. Along with the universal credit benefit reforms, it is central to the coalition Government's ambitious programme of welfare reform.
	The Work programme is being delivered by a range of private, public and voluntary sector organisations which are supporting people who are at risk of becoming long-term unemployed to find work. It replaces previous programmes such as the new deals, employment zones and flexible new deal and represents a long-term investment by government and its partners in seeking to help more people into lasting work.

TRANSPORT

A595

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to reduce traffic congestion on the A595.

Robert Goodwill: The Highways Agency is responsible for a relatively short section of the A595, classed as a trunk road, between Workington and Calder Bridge. The rest of the A595 is the responsibility of Cumbria county council. There are significant peak-hour traffic flows and delays along the trunk road section, that are largely associated with commuter traffic heading to and from the Sellafield complex.
	The Highways Agency has completed a number of small projects in recent years to ease congestion along the route. Currently, the Highways Agency is working with Cumbria county council, local district councils, the operators of the Sellafield complex, and other bodies, to identify the current and future needs of the route. Following this consultation, a clear action plan will be developed, incorporating additional mitigations to further alleviate the levels of congestion.

Aviation: Lasers

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information his Department holds on the number of pilots operating in the UK who have sought assistance from an optometrist or ophthalmologist after a laser pen attack which occurred in the course of their work.

Robert Goodwill: The Civil Aviation Authority receives Mandatory Occurrence Reports following incidents where a laser has been directed at an aircraft cockpit. These reports do not usually record whether or not the pilot has sought medical assistance. In 2013 only one report stated that medical assistance was sought. This involved hospital treatment for non-permanent corneal abrasion.

Aviation: Lasers

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information his Department holds on the number of UK pilots who have been stood down after a laser pen attacks which occurred in the course of their work.

Robert Goodwill: No Mandatory Occurrence Reports received by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in 2013 indicate a pilot has been “stood down”—either during or after flight. The CAA has not suspended any medical certificates due to an eye injury resulting from a laser pen attack.

Channel Tunnel Railway Line

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects Deutsche Bahn to start operating services on High Speed One.

Stephen Hammond: The decision when to start operating services on High Speed One is a commercial decision for the operator. Deutsche Bahn have stated that they do not intend starting services until 2016 at the earliest.

Cycling: Accidents

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what proportion of serious injuries to cyclists in Greater London involved cyclists hit by HGVs in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012 and (d) 2013;
	(2)  what proportion of cyclist fatalities in Greater London involved cyclists hit by HGVs in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012 and (d) 2013.

Robert Goodwill: The proportion of cyclist fatalities and serious injuries in reported road traffic accidents in Greater London, which involved a cyclist hit by an HGV in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012, were as follows:
	
		
			 Casualties/percentage 
			  Cyclist casualties Cyclists hit by HGVs in two vehicle1 accidents Proportion hit by HGVs in two vehicle1 accidents 
			  Killed Serious Killed Serious Killed Serious 
			 (a) 2010 10 458 2 18 20 4 
			 (b) 2011 16 555 6 20 38 4 
			 (c) 2012 14 659 4 14 29 2 
			 1 It is not possible to identify from our records which vehicle hit a cyclist in accidents involving more than two vehicles. 
		
	
	Data for the year 2013 will be available June 2014.

Driving: Licensing

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the annual cost to the DVLA is of the retention of paper driving licence counterparts.

Stephen Hammond: The annual cost to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency to issue driving licence counterparts is £471, 000.

Motorway Service Areas

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effect on road safety on the granting of the licensing of public houses at motorway service stations.

Robert Goodwill: The Licensing Act 2003 bans the sale of alcohol at certain motorway service areas (MSAs) but does not extend to all of them. At MSAs which are not covered by this Act, the granting of premise licenses for the sale and consumption of alcohol is a matter for the local licensing authority. The Government is not consulted on the decisions made by these authorities and any advice on road safety matters is provided by the police.

Pay

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many and what proportion of staff employed by (a) his Department, (b) agencies of his Department and (c) contractors of his Department are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage.

Stephen Hammond: In the central Department for Transport there are no direct employees who are paid less than the living wage rates as defined by the Living Wage Foundation. Across Department's executive agencies there are 493 (this is 2.86% of the Department) direct employees who are paid less than the living wage rates as defined by the Living Wage Foundation.
	The Department for Transport does not hold information on the earnings of contracted employees.

Pedestrians: Accidents

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what proportion of serious injuries to pedestrians in Greater London involved pedestrians hit by vehicles while on a footpath in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012 and (d) 2013;
	(2)  what proportion of pedestrian fatalities in Greater London involved pedestrians hit by a vehicle while on a footpath in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012 and (d) 2013.

Robert Goodwill: The proportion of pedestrian fatalities and serious injuries in reported road traffic accidents in Greater London, which involved a pedestrian on a footway or verge, in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012, were as follows:
	
		
			 Casualties/percentage 
			  Pedestrian casualties Pedestrian casualties on footway or verge Proportion on footway or verge 
			  Killed Serious Killed Serious Killed Serious 
			 (a) 2010 58 855 10 49 17 6 
			 (b) 2011 77 903 7 47 9 5 
			 (c) 2012 70 1,054 0 28 0 3 
		
	
	Data for the year 2013 will be available in June 2014.

Pedestrians: Accidents

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what proportion of serious injuries to pedestrians in Greater London involved pedestrians hit by motorcycles in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012 and (d) 2013;
	(2)  what proportion of pedestrian fatalities in Greater London involved pedestrians hit by motorcycles in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012 and (d) 2013;
	(3)  what proportion of serious injuries to pedestrians in Greater London involved pedestrians hit by buses or coaches in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012 and (d) 2013;
	(4)  what proportion of pedestrian fatalities in Greater London involved pedestrians hit by buses or coaches in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012 and (d) 2013;
	(5)  what proportion of serious injuries to pedestrians in Greater London involved pedestrians hit by HGVs in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012 and (d) 2013;
	(6)  what proportion of pedestrian fatalities in Greater London involved pedestrians hit by HGVs in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012 and (d) 2013.

Robert Goodwill: The proportion of fatalities or serious injuries to pedestrians in reported road traffic accidents in Greater London, which involved a motorcycle, bus/coach or HGV are given in the following table:
	
		
			   Of which involved: 
			  Pedestrians killed Motorcycle no. % Bus/coach no. % HGV no. % 
			 2010 58 4 7 6 10 11 19 
			 2011 77 6 8 10 13 6 8 
			 2012 70 3 4 11 16 11 16 
		
	
	
		
			   Of which involved: 
			  Pedestrians seriously injured Motorcycle no. % Bus/coach no. % HGV no. % 
			 2010 855 67 8 72 8 13 2 
			 2011 903 74 8 80 9 14 2 
			 2012 1,054 102 10 75 7 29 3 
		
	
	Data for the year 2013 will be available in June 2014.

Pedestrians: Accidents

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what proportion of serious injuries to pedestrians in Greater London involved pedestrians hit by speeding vehicles in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012 and (d) 2013;
	(2)  what proportion of pedestrian fatalities in Greater London involved pedestrians hit by speeding vehicles in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012 and (d) 2013.

Robert Goodwill: The Department holds information regarding contributory factors attributed to a vehicle in reported road traffic accidents. The proportion of pedestrian fatalities and serious injuries in Greater London, which involved a vehicle recorded as ‘exceeding speed limit’ in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012, were as follows:
	
		
			 Casualties/percentage 
			  Pedestrian casualties Pedestrian casualties which involved a vehicle 'exceeding speed limit’ Proportion involving a vehicle ‘exceeding speed limit’ 
			  Killed Serious Killed Serious Killed Serious 
			 (a) 2010 58 855 7 23 12 3 
			 (b) 2011 77 903 5 13 6 1 
			 (c) 2012 70 1,054 0 9 0 1 
		
	
	Data for the year 2013 will be available in June 2014.

Pedestrians: Accidents

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of serous injuries to pedestrians in Greater London involved pedestrians on a pedestrian crossing in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012 and (d) 2013.

Robert Goodwill: The proportion of serious injuries to pedestrians in reported road traffic accidents in Greater London, which involved pedestrians on a pedestrian crossing in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012, were as follows:
	
		
			  Pedestrians seriously injured Pedestrians seriously injured on pedestrian crossings Proportion of seriously injured pedestrians on pedestrian crossings (percentage) 
			 2010 855 183 21 
			 2011 903 219 24 
			 2012 1,054 201 19 
		
	
	Data for the year 2013 will be available in June 2014.

Procurement

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many officials of each grade in his Department have the authority to execute a purchase; what proportion of these officials have professional procurement qualifications; and what key indicators are used by his Department to assess procurement officers' performance.

Stephen Hammond: The number of officials of each grade in my Department who have the authority to execute a purchase, and the proportion of those officials having professional procurement qualifications is as follows:
	
		
			 Grade Number of officials Proportion professionally qualified (percentage) 
			 SCS 1 100 
			 Grade 6/7 5 100 
			 HEO/SEO 5 100 
			 EO 1 100 
		
	
	The above figures are for the central Department only and exclude: officials in procurement leadership and management positions who do not hold contractual authority; those entitled to execute low value purchases; and those entitled to amend or extend existing contracts.
	The key indicators used to assess procurement officers' performance are those set by the Cabinet Office for Departments' procurement functions, eg the percentage of procurement spend awarded to small and medium-sized enterprises, and the completion of all but the most complex procurements within 120 days. Performance is also assessed against the Government competency framework for procurement professionals.

Public Expenditure

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when his Department's supplementary estimates for 2013-14 will be published.

Stephen Hammond: Government Departments have been informed by HM Treasury that the week commencing 10 February is the provisional window for presentation/publication of supplementary estimates 2013-14.

Public Expenditure

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what the major components of his Department's costs within the accounting category, K - Aviation, Maritime, Security and Safety in terms of (a) Resource DEL and (b) Capital DEL are above a threshold of £1 million;
	(2)  what the major components of his Department's revenues within the accounting category, K - Aviation, Maritime, Security and Safety in terms of (a) Resource DEL and (b) Capital DEL are above a threshold of £1 million.

Stephen Hammond: The information is given in the following table and provides an analysis of the total of section K in the Department for Transport's Main estimate 2013-14.
	
		
			 £ million 
			  Gross Income 
			 Main estimates 2013-14 Resource Capital Resource Capital 
			 Air Accident Investigation Branch 7 0 0 0 
			 Aviation 73 0 -50 0 
			 Aviation Services Transport, Security and Royal Travel 10 0 0 0 
			 Dangerous Goods 1 0 0 0 
			 Marine Accident Investigation Branch 4 0 0 0 
			 Maritime 47 2 0 0 
			 Maritime Public Corporations 0 -4 0 0 
			 Rail Accident Investigation Branch 5 0 0 0 
			 Road Safety Grants 2 0 0 0 
			 Transport Security 6 0 0 0 
			 National Air Traffic Services 0 0 -20 0

Public Expenditure

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what the major components of his Department's costs within the accounting category, H - Bus Subsidies and Concessionary Fares in terms of (a) Resource DEL and (b) Capital DEL are above a threshold of £1 million;
	(2)  what the major components of his Department's revenues within the accounting category, H - Bus Subsidies and Concessionary Fares in terms of (a) Resource DEL and (b) Capital DEL are above a threshold of £1 million.

Stephen Hammond: The information is given in the following table and is taken from the Department for Transport's Main Estimate 2013-14.
	
		
			 Main estimates 2013-14 
			 £million 
			  Resource gross Capital gross Resource income Capital income 
			 Bus service operator grants 315 0 0 0 
			 Green buses 0 20 0 0

Railways: Sellafield

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to provide additional services and longer trains on the lines serving Sellafield during the morning and afternoon peak periods.

Stephen Hammond: Within the terms of the Franchise Agreement Northern Rail is required to use its entire fleet (allowing for normal maintenance) during each peak period including the Cumbrian Coast line to meet demand. It would be for Northern and other stakeholders to assess the business case for additional train services (should there be additional trains available) on this route.

Rescue Services: Belfast

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reasons 85 per cent of shifts at the Belfast Maritime Rescue and Co-ordination Centre were understaffed in June 2013 and 17 per cent of shifts in December 2013; and what steps he is taking to address those reasons.

Stephen Hammond: The reasons for watch levels being under risk assessed levels during 2013 was the then uncertainty around the new Coastguard Jobs in respect of pay, terms and conditions and training requirements for new recruits.
	The uncertainty in respect of the new Coastguard jobs has now been removed with new pay, terms and conditions now agreed; recruitment for the new Coastguard jobs started in November 2013.
	To address staffing levels at MRCC Belfast the MCA has undertaken recruitment throughout 2013 to reinforce watchkeeper numbers. As at the end of 2013 this programme of recruitment has seen a net increase of staff in post over the calendar year. As a result MRCC Belfast is now staffed above complement.
	New watchkeeping recruits require training before becoming operationally effective; as a result the majority of recruits to MRCC Belfast have become effective towards the end of 2013.
	A further cadre of recruits who are currently undergoing training will progressively become fully operational from April 2014. The MCA anticipates that they will assist Belfast in meeting its risk assessed levels.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Electricity: North East

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the average cost per kilowatt hour of electricity used by industrial users in the North East was in each year since 1997.

Gregory Barker: Data on average industrial electricity costs in the UK for each year from 1997 to 2012 are shown in the following table. Data is not available for individual regions.
	
		
			  Cost p/kWh 
			 1997 3.69 
			 1998 3.67 
			 1999 3.62 
			 2000 3.47 
			 2001 3.13 
			 2002 2.98 
			 2003 2.87 
			 2004 3.13 
			 2005 4.24 
			 2006 5.51 
			 2007 5.45 
			 2008 6.84 
			 2009 7.27 
			 2010 6.51 
			 2011 6.92 
			 2012 7.34

Energy: Prices

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the oral answer of 16 January 2014, Official Report, column 985, on energy bills, if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department’s analysis of the major energy companies' changes to prices following the changes to the green levies.

Michael Fallon: The details of price changes made by the major energy suppliers in relation to the autumn statement can be found on the relevant pages of each major suppliers' website. We are working with Energy UK on getting this information clearly set out on their website.

Energy: Prices

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the oral answer of 16 January 2014, Official Report, column 984, on energy prices, what estimate his Department has made of current switching times.

Michael Fallon: Switching energy supplier is currently expected to take five weeks. Electricity and gas supply licences require suppliers to have a term in their contract providing for transfers to be made within 21-days. This currently takes place after a 14-day cooling-off period.
	Ofgem analysis of information provided by the large domestic suppliers for the period Q1 2012 to Q1 2013 found that the proportion of domestic switches taking longer than three weeks after the cooling off period (without a valid reason) was over 20% in electricity and over 80% in gas. Ofgem is currently consulting on modifications to supplier licence conditions to secure a more reliable three-week switch:
	https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications-and-updates/enforcing-three-week-switching
	The oral answer given by the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, my right hon. Friend the Member for Kingston and Surbiton (Mr Davey), on 16 January 2014, Official Report, column 984, on energy prices reflects the work being done with the industry to halve the current expected five week switching time by the end of this Parliament.

Energy: Prices

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 16 January 2014, Official Report, column 985, on energy bills, what assessment his Department has made of the consequences for customers on fixed-price deals of changes to green levies.

Michael Fallon: Following the package of measures announced on 2 December, UK households will receive, on average, around a £50 reduction in their energy bill, compared to what it would have otherwise been. Different suppliers have chosen to apply the savings to their customers in different ways, and we are working with Energy UK to set out clearly what customers will be receiving, depending on the particular tariffs they are on.

WOMEN AND EQUALITIES

Equality and Human Rights Commission

Philip Davies: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what proportion of staff of the Equality and Human Rights Commission have indicated that they do not wish to declare their status in answer to any of the questions on the Commission's diversity declaration forms in each of the last five years.

Edward Vaizey: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
	The Equality and Human Rights Commission is an independent body and is responsible for its own staff management, including staff declaration forms. I have asked the Commission to write to my hon. Friend with the information requested.

Equality and Human Rights Commission

Philip Davies: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities if she will place in the Library a copy of the materials used by the Equality and Human Rights Commission during its series of conferences on Dignity at Work.

Edward Vaizey: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
	I will arrange for a copy of the material, requested by my hon. Friend, to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Equality and Human Rights Commission

Philip Davies: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities if she will place in the Library a copy of the diversity training materials currently used by the Equality and Human Rights Commission to train its employees.

Helen Grant: The Equality and Human Rights Commission uses the Civil Service Learning IT portal to gain access to diversity training materials for its employees. I am therefore unable to place the material requested by my hon. Friend in the Library.

Equality and Human Rights Commission

Philip Davies: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities if she will place in the Library a copy of the guidance entitled Manage a Diverse Workforce through Organisational Change given to managers at the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Edward Vaizey: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
	The Equality and Human Rights Commission does not use a document entitled “Manage a Diverse Workforce through Organisational Change”. I am therefore unable to place the material requested by the hon. Member in the Library.

Equality and Human Rights Commission

Philip Davies: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities how many staff currently working at the Equality and Human Rights Commission have not received the Commission's diversity training.

Edward Vaizey: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
	The Equality and Human Rights Commission is an independent body and is responsible for its own staff management, including diversity training. I have asked the Commission to write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Equality and Human Rights Commission

Philip Davies: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what grievances have been raised by staff at the Equality and Human Rights Commission in each of the last three years; and what the outcome was in each such case.

Edward Vaizey: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
	The Equality and Human Rights Commission is an independent body and is responsible for its own staff management, including staff grievances. I have asked the Commission to write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Regional Planning and Development

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will arrange for the Minister of State for Cities and the Constitution to meet representatives of Kettering Borough Council, the Northamptonshire Enterprise Partnership and the South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership to co-ordinate infrastructure investment associated with a new junction 10A on the A14 at Cranford. [R]

Greg Clark: I would be delighted to meet as suggested.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

Bishop of Bath and Wells

Tessa Munt: To ask the right hon. Member for Banbury, representing the Church Commissioners, pursuant to the answer of 23 January 2014, Official Report, column 317W on Bishop of Bath and Wells, in relation to the Bishop's living accommodation, what repairs or maintenance were identified in the Church Commissioners Quinquennial Review dated 2013.

Tony Baldry: The reason for moving the Bishop’s accommodation is to give the Bishop more privacy and not to do with the cost of repairs and restoration to the flat. A considerable amount of the Palace at Wells is currently open to the public and little private space is available for the Bishop or his family. The Bishop of Bath and Wells and the Bishop of Taunton will continue to use the Palace on a daily basis as their office and to worship and pray in the chapel.
	In addition to our original answer of 23 January 2014, Official Report, column 317W, please find as follows some examples of the types of ongoing work needed on the Palace building and surrounding complex, including the areas used by the Bishops as their private accommodation. Repointing of the palace, internal modernisation and refurbishment, rewiring, stabilisation of the ruins of the great hall, roof repairs, repointing of the chimneys, replacing the boiler, water tanks and pipework, installation of a new heating system, upgrading the electrical supply, and works to the kitchen and bathrooms.

Bishop of Bath and Wells

Tessa Munt: To ask the right hon. Member for Banbury, representing the Church Commissioners, pursuant to the answer of 23 January 2014, Official Report, column 316W on Bishop of Bath and Wells, if he will provide full details of every heirloom of the See in relation to the Bishop's Palace at Wells; and if he will publish an inventory of the heirlooms of the Holy See in that Palace.

Tony Baldry: The last inventory of the Palace was undertaken in 2007. It is not possible to transcribe the inventory due to the disproportionate cost involved and the length of the document. The Palace Trust, who manage the public rooms of the Palace, are currently lent the ‘heirlooms’ of the See by the Church Commissioners to display. The Church Commissioners intend that these robes, objects, paintings and furniture will continue to remain at the Palace and will remain on public view.

Bishop of Bath and Wells

Tessa Munt: To ask the right hon. Member for Banbury, representing the Church Commissioners, for what reasons the Church Commissioners found the previous Bishop's accommodation at the Bishop's Palace at Wells to be unsuitable for the new Bishop and his wife.

Tony Baldry: The Commissioners considered that moving the Bishop’s accommodation would give the Bishop more privacy. Their decision did not relate to the cost of repairs and restoration to the flat. A considerable amount of the Palace at Wells is currently open to the public and little private space is available for the Bishop or his family. The Bishop of Bath and Wells and the Bishop of Taunton will continue to use the Palace on a daily basis as their office and worship and pray in the chapel.

HEALTH

Ambulance Services: East of England

Gavin Shuker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients have been left waiting in ambulances for more than one hour outside each NHS hospital in the East of England in each year since 2010-11.

Jane Ellison: Information is not available in the format requested. Information about delayed ambulance handovers is collected only over the winter period, as part of national health service acute trusts' daily winter situation reports. The following table shows the number of ambulance handovers delayed for more than one hour at acute trusts in the east of England each winter since 2010-11.
	
		
			 Number of delayed ambulance handovers of over one hour at NHS acute trusts in the east of England region, 2010-11 to 2013-14 for the dates shown 
			  2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 
			 Organisation 1 November 2010 to 24 February 2011 1 November 2011 to 1 March 2012 6 November 2012 to 28 February 2013 4 November 2013 to 22 January 2014 
			 West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust 4 0 98 0 
			 West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust 231 119 315 96 
			 The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King's Lynn, NHS Foundation Trust 3 216 203 44 
			 The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust 20 96 43 63 
			 Southend University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 15 247 287 105 
			 Peterborough And Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 392 11 20 1 
			 Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 0 0 0 0 
			 Norfolk And Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 185 620 1409 9 
			 Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust 227 352 351 58 
			 Luton And Dunstable University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 0 18 108 49 
			 James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 0 0 109 1 
			 Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust 0 86 208 45 
			 Hinchingbrooke Health Care NHS Trust 0 0 0 0 
		
	
	
		
			 East And North Hertfordshire NHS Trust 11 36 182 84 
			 Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust 4 21 162 131 
			 Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 57 257 36 5 
			 Bedford Hospital NHS Trust 0 0 71 10 
			 Basildon And Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 62 38 144 2 
			 Source: NHS England, daily winter situation reports

Blood: Regulation

David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress he has made in his review of regulations involved in the management of supply of blood and blood-derived products; and when the review will be complete.

Norman Lamb: The blood regulations were considered as part of the Red Tape Challenge and the responses received by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) were in favour of retaining the regulations. European Union blood regulations were overall assessed favourably in the Department's Balance of Competence Review in 2013. Separately, there was a request from the European Commission for suggestions for technical amendments to the blood directives and MHRA consulted with the Department of Health, devolved Administrations and the United Kingdom blood transfusion services. Suggestions were forwarded to the European Commission but the Commission has said that there will be no revisions to the blood directives until 2015 at the earliest.

Departmental Responsibilities

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many meetings Ministers and officials in his Department have had with (a) food, (b) soft drink and (c) alcohol companies since May 2010.

Jane Ellison: Details of all ministerial meetings with external parties are published quarterly in arrears on the Department's website. The latest publication can be found on the Department's website at:
	www.gov.uk/government/publications/ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-external-meetings-2012-to-2013?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
	Officials in the food and alcohol policy teams meet with food, soft drinks and drinks industry representatives on a regular basis in the course of their usual activities, primarily through the Responsibility Deal. Available records indicate that since May 2010 there have been 359 meetings with food companies, 19 meetings with soft drinks companies and 65 meetings with alcohol companies.

Departmental Responsibilities

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many meetings (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department had with (i) the World Sugar Research Organisation, (ii) Sugar Nutrition UK and (iii) British Sugar since May 2010.

Jane Ellison: Details of all ministerial meetings with external parties are published quarterly in arrears on the Department's website. The latest publication can be found on the Department's website:
	www.gov.uk/government/publications/ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-external-meetings-2012-to-2013?utm_source=twitterfeed&.utm_medium=twitter
	Available records indicate that officials have met with Sugar Nutrition UK, formerly The Sugar Bureau, on five occasions since May 2010 about diet and nutrition matters. Available records indicate that officials have held no meetings with the World Sugar Research Organisation or with British Sugar since May 2010.

Departmental Responsibilities

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish a full list of all the (a) food and drink and (b) alcohol companies that Ministers or officials in his Department have met since May 2010.

Jane Ellison: Details of all ministerial meetings with external parties are published quarterly in arrears on the Department's website. The latest publication can be found on the Department's website at:
	www.gov.uk/government/publications/ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-external-meetings-2012-to-2013?utm_source=twitterfeed&.utm_medium=twitter
	Officials in the food, drink and alcohol policy teams meet with food and drinks companies on a regular basis, primarily with regard to the Public Health Responsibility Deal.
	A list of the food, drink and alcohol companies that officials in the Department have met on an individual basis since May 2010, based on available records is as follows:
	Food and Drink companies
	3663 Food Service
	AB World Foods Limited
	ALDI Einkauf GmbH and Compagnie, oHG,
	Alliance Boots GmbH
	Allied Bakeries
	Amadeus
	Aramark Corporation
	Apetito (UK) Ltd
	Asda Stores Ltd
	Bar and Restaurant Foods Ltd
	BaxterStorey Ltd
	Bernard Matthews Ltd
	Booker Ltd
	Brake Bros Ltd
	Burger King Corporation
	Caffé Nero Ltd
	Camden Food Co
	Catering Services House of Commons
	CH&Co Catering Ltd
	Coca-Cola Great Britain and Ireland
	Compass Group PLC
	Costa Coffee
	Danone UK Ltd
	DC Leisure Management Limited
	Domino's Pizza Group Ltd
	Elior UK Group
	Ferrero UK Ltd
	First Milk Limited
	Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited
	Fuller, Smith and Turner PLC
	General Mills (UK) Ltd
	GlaxoSmithKline PLC
	Good Food Co Dunkleys Ltd
	Gourmet Burger Kitchen
	Greencore Group PLC
	Greene King PLC
	Greggs PLC
	H. J. Heinz Company
	Harbour and Jones Ltd
	Iceland Foods Ltd
	Intercontinental Hotels Group PLC
	Intersnack Ltd
	J Sainsbury PLC
	Jamie Oliver Ltd
	JD Weatherspoon PLC
	JLM Global Foods Ltd
	Kellogg Company
	Kentucky Fried Chicken (UK and Ireland)
	Kerry Group PLC
	Kettle Foods Ltd.
	Kraft Foods UK Ltd
	Kudos Blends Ltd
	Leatherhead Food International Ltd
	Lidl Stiftung and Co. KG
	Marks and Spencer PLC
	Mars UK Ltd
	McCain Foods (GB) Ltd
	McDonald's Restaurants Ltd
	Merisant Company
	Mitchells and Butlers PLC
	MUIE Catering Services Limited
	Mondélez International, Inc
	Nando's
	Nestle UK Ltd
	PepsiCo UK and Ireland
	Pizza Hut (UK) Limited
	Ponti's Group Ltd
	Prezzo PLC
	Quorn Foods
	Restaurant Group PLC
	Sodexo UK and Ireland
	Starbucks Coffee Company
	Stateside Foods Ltd
	Subway International
	Tesco PLC
	The Co-operative Group Ltd
	The Naturally Naughty Cake .Co
	Tragus Ltd
	Unilever UK and Ireland
	United Biscuits (UK) Ltd
	Vacherin Limited
	Victoria Foods Ltd
	W. Jordan (Cereals) Ltd
	Waitrose Ltd
	Warburtons
	Weetabix Ltd
	Whitbread PLC
	Wm Morrison Supermarkets PLC
	Young's Sea Food Ltd
	Yum! Brands, Inc.
	Alcohol companies
	ABinBev
	Accolade Wine
	Bacardi Brown Foreman
	Beam Inc
	Beverage Brands Ltd
	Bi bend urn Wine Ltd
	C&C Group PLC
	Carlsberg Group
	Constellation wines
	Diageo
	Fuller, Smith and Turner PLC
	Greene King PLC
	Heineken UK
	Molson Coors
	Pernod Ricard
	Sab Miller PLC

Diabetes

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what latest assessment he has made of the annual cost of type one and type two diabetes to the NHS.

Jane Ellison: In January 2014, NHS England published the ‘Action for Diabetes’ report.
	The report states that diabetes is estimated to have cost the United Kingdom £9.8 billion in health costs in 2010-11. This consists of £1 billion and £8.8 billion for Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes respectively.
	A copy of the report has been placed in the Library.

Doctors: Working Hours

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 16 January 2014, Official Report, column 676W, on junior doctors, what steps he is taking to ensure that junior doctors do not under-record their working hours.

Daniel Poulter: National health service trusts, as employers, are responsible for ensuring that service rotas are designed and staffed appropriately and are in accordance with the working time regulations. Failure to comply may result in trusts being held to account either by an employment tribunal or through the Health and Safety Executive.
	NHS Employers provides guidance and support to NHS employers on all aspects of United Kingdom employment legislation relating to NHS staff, and the Department sets the broad framework within which NHS Employers operate. Where concerns of non-compliance are raised, NHS Employers will liaise with those involved and explore further.
	Individuals must also take personal responsibility to ensure that they record their working time in accordance with their contract.

Eyesight: Surgery

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients have presented at NHS services due to complications following commercial laser eye treatment in the last three years.

Daniel Poulter: This information is not collected centrally.

Eyesight: Surgery

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department takes to ensure that patients are made aware of all risks attributed to (a) laser eye treatments and (b) other procedures undertaken by private and commercial providers.

Daniel Poulter: A number of steps have been taken to ensure patients are made aware of the risks of laser eye treatment and other procedures undertaken by private and commercial providers.
	Information for the public on laser eye surgery, including information about risks associated with the procedure, has been published through NHS Choices.
	The Royal College of Ophthalmologists published a Patients' Guide to Excimer Laser Refractive Surgery in July 2011. It sets out that patients should have the opportunity to discuss the risks and benefits of each procedure.
	The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence published Interventional Procedure Guidance in March 2006, on the use of photorefractive (laser) eye surgery for the correction of refractive error.
	The General Medical Council published ‘Good Medical Practice’ on 12 November 2006. This guidance describes what is expected of all doctors in the national health service, private and commercial sector, registered with the General Medical Council. It includes guidance on communicating the risks involved with treatment and that doctors must be satisfied that they have the consent or other valid authority before they provide treatment.
	All providers of regulated activities under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 must be registered with the Care Quality Commission and meet the requirements of safety and quality.
	Registered providers are required to discuss the risks and benefits involved in any particular course of care or treatment.

Health Services: Greater London

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total spending by his Department per head of population was in each London borough in each of the last five years.

Daniel Poulter: This information is not available in the format requested as figures are not collected for expenditure by borough. However, funding figures are available for primary care trusts (PCTs).
	The total expenditure per head of population for all London PCTs, in each of the last five years is shown in the following table. Information on the current financial year is not yet available.
	
		
			 £ 
			 PCT PCT name 2012-13 2011-12 2010-11 2009-10 2008-09 
			 5C2 Barking and Dagenham PCT 1,994 1,969 2,123 2,070 1,738 
			 5A9 Barnet PCT 1,770 1,742 1,780 1,717 1,434 
			 TAK Bexley Care Trust 1,711 1,622 1,617 1,518 1,362 
			 5K5 Brent Teaching PCT 2,102 2,060 1,872 1,775 1,531 
			 5A7 Bromley PCT 1,676 1,619 1,643 1,569 1,423 
			 5K7 Camden PCT 2,100 2,087 2,091 2,099 1,740 
			 5C3 City and Hackney Teaching PCT 2,375 2,271 2,374 2,277 1,884 
			 5K9 Croydon PCT 1,811 1,866 1,761 1,658 1,432 
			 5HX Ealing PCT 1,876 1,802 1,842 1,829 1,643 
			 SC1 Enfield PCT 1,858 1,850 1,849 1,728 1,506 
			 5A8 Greenwich Teaching PCT 2,118 2,067 1,978 1,902 1,712 
			 5H1 Hammersmith and Fulham PCT 2,224 2,203 2,088 2,006 1,590 
			 5C9 Haringey Teaching PCT 2,047 2,008 2,050 1,959 1,729 
			 5K6 Harrow PCT 1,700 1,720 1,783 1,635 1,424 
			 5A4 Havering PCT 1,796 1,742 1,757 1,640 1,474 
			 5AT Hillingdon PCT 1,723 1,618 1,678 1,585 1,392 
			 5HY Hounslow PCT 1,838 1,818 1,-859 1,752 1,534 
			 5K8 Islington PCT 2,649 2,456 2,410 2,299 2,038 
			 5LA Kensington and Chelsea PCT 1,943 1,893 1,834 1,993 1,537 
			 5A5 Kingston PCT 1,485 1,465 1,490 1,414 1,256 
			 5LD Lambeth PCT 2,279 2,217 2,248 2,172 1,956 
		
	
	
		
			 5LF Lewisham PCT 2,066 2,041 2,045 1,971 1,791 
			 5C5 Newham PCT 2,425 2,353 2,225 2,126 1,809 
			 5NA Redbridge PCT 1,645 1,610 1,652 1,613 1,436 
			 5M6 Richmond and Twickenham PCT 1,527 1,474 1,593 1,577 1,413 
			 5LE Southwark PCT 1,994 1,969 2,029 1,981 1,822 
			 5M7 Sutton and Merton PCT 1,640 1,603 1,639 1,591 1,417 
			 5C4 Tower Hamlets PCT 2,510 2,264 2,315 2,450 1,995 
			 5NC Waltham Forest PCT 1,941 1,918 1,923 1,797 1,628 
			 5LG Wandsworth PCT 1,940 1,874 1,974 1,949 1,645 
			 5LC Westminster PCT 2,172 2,134 '2,044 2,067 1,611

Heart Diseases

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he is taking to diagnose earlier heart problems among people suffering with dizzy spells.

Jane Ellison: If a patient is experiencing dizzy spells, there may a number of possible underlying causes, including heart problems such as an atrial fibrillation (AF), which is the most common type of sustained heart rhythm disturbance.
	The Cardiovascular Disease Outcomes Strategy, published in March 2013, recognised that there were issues around the detection and management of AF. To tackle this, NHS Improving Quality, the new NHS improvement body, is encouraging general practitioners to detect and manage AF as part of its work to deliver the strategy. This includes promoting the use of the of Guidance on Risk Assessment and Stroke Prevention for Atrial Fibrillation (GRASP-AF) tool to improve the detection and management of stroke risk in atrial fibrillation.
	In addition to this, in 2006 the National institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published a guideline to support clinicians on the diagnosis and management of AF in emergency, primary, post-operative and secondary care. NICE is planning to publish an updated version of the guideline in June 2014.

Hepatitis

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will increase the level of resources available for the treatment of hepatitis C; and what assessment his Department has made of the effect of such treatment on end-stage liver disease and liver cancer.

Jane Ellison: The level of resources devoted to different treatments is a matter for local NHS services, taking into account local population needs.
	We recognise that effective treatments—when coupled with effective prevention measures—are important to reduce the incidence of hepatitis C, and that by tackling hepatitis-C, we will be able to reduce preventable mortality from liver disease and cancer.
	Public Health England is currently undertaking modelling work to assess the impact of increasing, treatment on averting the future burden of hepatitis C related end stage liver disease.

Hip Replacements

Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in England had hip replacements carried out on the NHS in 2012 and 2013.

Jane Ellison: This information cannot be provided in the format requested. In the following table, we have provided information concerning the number of finished consultant episodes (FCEs) in the national health service with a main or secondary procedure of hip replacement for the years 2011-12 and 2012-13.
	
		
			  FCEs 
			 2011-12 104,434 
			 2012-13 105,499 
			 Notes: 1. Activity in English NHS Hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector. 2. A FCE is a continuous period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. FCEs are counted against the year in which they end. Figures do not represent the number of different patients, as a person may have more than one episode of care within the same stay in hospital or in different stays in the same year. 3. Note that more procedures are carried out than episodes with a main or secondary procedure.

Hip Replacements

Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average cost to the NHS of a hip replacement in England was in 2012 and 2013.

Jane Ellison: The Department collects reference costs annually from national health service trusts and NHS foundation trusts in England. In reference costs, diagnostic and procedure codes are grouped into healthcare resource groups (HRGs). HRGs are standard groupings of clinically similar treatments which use similar levels of healthcare resource, and may be distinguished as either diagnosis driven (where there are no major procedure codes in the patient record) or procedure driven.
	There are several hip procedure HRGs within the collection. The costs of hip replacements are not collected separately. The following table shows the costs of hip procedures in England as reported in the 2011-12 and 2012-13 reference costs and the total average cost for all these HRGs.
	
		
			 Currency code Currency description 2011-12 2012-13 
			   Activity Unit cost (£) Activity Unit cost (£) 
			 HB11A Major Hip Procedures for Non-Trauma, Category 2, with Major CC 1,338 11,736 1,580 11,870 
			 HB11B Major Hip Procedures for Non-Trauma, Category 2, with Intermediate CC 1,620 6,643 2,242 6,799 
			 HB11C Major Hip Procedures for Non-Trauma, Category 2, without CC 7,938 6,412 7,168 6,276 
			 HB12A Major Hip Procedures for Non-Trauma, Category 1, with Major CC 3,257 8,830 4,182 8,713 
			 HB12B Major Hip Procedures for Non-Trauma, Category 1, with Intermediate CC 6,651 6,583 8,109 6,544 
			 HB12C Major Hip Procedures for Non-Trauma, Category 1, without CC 35,328 5,958 31,600 5,915 
			 HB13Z Intermediate Hip Procedures for Non-Trauma, Category 2 2,590 4,492 2,288 5,316 
			 HB14B Intermediate Hip Procedures for Non-Trauma, Category 1, with CC 2,052 4,834 2,403 4,931 
			 HB14C Intermediate Hip Procedures for Non-Trauma, Category 1, without CC 8,912 2,453 8,322 2,266 
			 HA11A Major Hip Procedures for Trauma, Category 2, with Major CC 718 13,600 723 13,279 
			 HA11B Major Hip Procedures for Trauma, Category 2, with Intermediate CC 194 8,297 297 8,818 
			 HA11C Major Hip Procedures for Trauma, Category 2, without CC 823 7,477 874 7,535 
			 HA12B Major Hip Procedures for Trauma, Category 1, with CC 15,767 8,087 18,630 7,940 
			 HA12C Major Hip Procedures for Trauma, Category 1, without CC 14,479 6,317 11,075 6,025 
			 HA13A Intermediate Hip Procedures for Trauma, with Major CC 9,305 8,233 10,386 7,935 
			 HA13B Intermediate Hip Procedures for Trauma, with Intermediate CC 4,180 6,101 5,647 6,328 
			 HA13C Intermediate Hip Procedures for Trauma, without CC 13,802 5,603 11,216 5,258 
			  Average cost of a hip procedure in England  6,357  6,382

Hip Replacements

Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average NHS waiting time for hip replacements was in England in each of the last four years.

Jane Ellison: The information is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Count of finished admission episodes (FAEs)1 and mean and median time waited2 for FAEs with a main operative procedure3 of hip replacement for the years 2009-10 to 2012-13 
			  Count of FAEs Mean time waited (days) Median time waited (days) 
			 2009-10 59,662 86 77 
			 2010-11 61,666 86 80 
			 2011-12 65,183 90 83 
			 2012-13 65,350 86 78 
			 1 A finished admission episode (FAE) is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one health care provider. Admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the period. 2 Time waited (days) statistics from Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) for all patients between decision to admit and admission to hospital within a given period. 3 Main procedure is the first recorded procedure or intervention in each episode, usually the most resource intensive procedure or intervention performed during the episode. Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Health and Social Care Information Centre - activity in English NHS Hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector

Medical Records: Databases

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many unique visitors there have been to the care.data page of the NHS Choices website since that page was launched.

Daniel Poulter: There has been 46,560 visits to the care.data page of the NHS Choices website since its launch in August 2013.

Medical Records: Databases

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the amount of GPs time spent complying with care.data requirements; and what assessment he has made of the effect of such an obligation on patient waiting times.

Daniel Poulter: General practitioners, as data controllers, have legal responsibilities under the Data Protection Act 1998 for ensuring that patients are aware of how their information is used and shared. This is not a new requirement and it does not relate solely to the care.data programme.

Medical Records: Databases

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what penalties will be incurred by GPs who (a) refuse to take part in care.data and (b) decide to opt-out all their patients from care.data.

Daniel Poulter: There are no agreed plans to penalise general practitioners (GPs).
	NHS England and the Health and Social Care Information Centre will work with the British Medical Association, the Royal College of General Practitioners, the Information Commissioner's Office and with the Care Quality Commission to review and work with GP practices who have a high proportion of patients who opt-out of care.data.

Medical Records: Databases

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to produce an estimate of the cost of care.data.

Daniel Poulter: The Health and Social Care Information Centre is in the process of agreeing the scope of the care.data programme and the associated funding required with NHS England (as the lead commissioner) and with other members of the Informatics Services Commissioning Group.

Medical Records: Databases

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons he decided against making patient data extracted under care.data anonymous at source.

Daniel Poulter: A key aim of the care.data programme is to link information from all of the settings in which patients receive care in order to provide a joined-up picture of the care being delivered. Given the diverse range of information systems used in primary, secondary, tertiary, community and social care, the Health and Social Care Information Centre considers that the use of pseudonymisation-at-source could, at this time, limit its ability to effectively link data from across care settings.

Medical Records: Databases

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether it will be possible for patients to sue GPs for releasing their personal information under the care.data scheme.

Daniel Poulter: As data controllers, general practitioners (GPs) must meet fair processing obligations under the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA), including an obligation to ensure that patients are aware of how their personal confidential data are shared and their right to object. The NHS England leaflet drop campaign will explain how the national health service uses patient data and what patients should do if they have any concerns or if they wish to object.
	GPs are responsible for the personal data that they hold and could face civil action if they breached patient confidentiality or they could be fined by the Information Commissioner if their action breached data protection law. However, GPs are required by law to provide data to the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) for care.data and provided that a GP releases no more data than that which is requested by the HSCIC, there would be no grounds in which to take action against the GP.

Medical Records: Databases

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether data entered under care.data will undergo pseudonymisation.

Daniel Poulter: The Health and Social Care Information Centre makes information available in three formats, each protected by a different suite of privacy safeguards:
	non-identifiable data (aggregated or completely anonymised data) are published openly after removing all identifiers and removing details of any rare conditions or combinations of characteristics;
	potentially identifiable data (pseudonymised data) are made available under legal contract to approved analysts for purposes that will benefit patient care; and
	identifiable information (personal confidential data) are made available to named individuals only where there is a legal basis for doing so, such as a public health emergency.

Medical Records: Databases

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what systems are currently in place at the Health and Social Care Information Centre to inform the public on the personal data it holds.

Daniel Poulter: The Health and Social Care Information Centre has a public website which lists the data sets it collects from across health and social care. In addition, every household in England is receiving a leaflet called “Better information means better care” that explains how information is used and also signposts to the public website.

Meningitis: Vaccination

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  when he expects the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation to conclude deliberations on the MenB vaccine;
	(2)  what plans he has to introduce a MenB vaccine;
	(3)  if he will introduce the MenB vaccine for children and adolescents.

Jane Ellison: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave the hon. Member for Belfast East (Naomi Long) on 22 January 2014, Official Report, column 234W.

NHS: Finance

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the level of Government spending on the National Health Service was in current prices in each year since 1984.

Daniel Poulter: The following table shows the total national health service expenditure from 1983-84 to 2013-14.
	
		
			 NHS total expenditure: England—1983-84 to 2013-14 
			 £ million 
			  Data NHS Expenditure1,2 2013-14 prices3 
			 Cash4    
			 1983-84 Outturn 12,494 31,142 
			 1984-85 Outturn 13,407 31,820 
			 1985-86 Outturn 14,176 31,925 
			 1986-87 Outturn 15,173 33,248 
			 1987-88 Outturn 16,668 34,641 
			 1988-89 Outturn 18,420 35,966 
			 1989-90 Outturn 19,855 36,288 
			 1990-91 Outturn 22,326 38,100 
			 1991-92 Outturn 25,353 40,759 
			 1992-93 Outturn 27,968 44,104 
			 1993-94 Outturn 28,942 44,773 
			 1994-95 Outturn 30,590 46,745 
			 1995-96 Outturn 31,985 47,683 
			 1996-97 Outturn 32,997 47,864 
			 1997-98 Outturn 34,664 49,388 
			 1998-99 Outturn 36,608 51,180 
			 1999-2000 Outturn 39,881 54,679 
			     
			 Resource Budgeting Stage l5    
			 1999-2000 Outturn 40,201 55,118 
			 2000-01 Outturn 43,932 59,808 
			 2001-02 Outturn 49,021 64,969 
			 2002-03 Outturn 54,042 69,997 
			     
		
	
	
		
			 Resource Budgeting Stage 26    
			 2002-03 Outturn 58,542 75,825 
			 2003-04 Outturn 64,173 81,539 
			 2004-05 Outturn 69,049 85,376 
			 2005-06 Outturn 75,822 92,072 
			 2006-07 Outturn 80,561 95,094 
			 2007-08 Outturn 89,401 102,938 
			 2008-09 Outturn 94,017 105,281 
			 2009-10 Outturn 101,881 111,041 
			     
			 Resource Budgeting—Aligned7    
			 2009-10 Outturn 98,417 107,266 
			 2010-11 Outturn 100,418 106,661 
			 2011-12 Outturn 102,844 106,753 
			 2012-13 Outturn 105,221 107,326 
			 2013-14 Plan 109,955 109,955 
			 1 Expenditure figures are not consistent over the period (1983-84 to 2013-14) and this should be noted when making comparisons between years. 2 Expenditure excludes NHS (Annually Managed Expenditure). 3 GDP as at 20 January 2013. 4 Expenditure pre 1999-2000 is on a cash basis. 5 Expenditure figures from 1999-2000 to 2002-03 are on a Stage 1 resource budgeting basis. 6 Expenditure figures from 2003-04 to 2009-10 are on a Stage 2 resource budgeting basis. 7 Expenditure figures from 2009-10 to 2013-14 are on an aligned basis following the Government’s Clear Line of Sight programme.

NHS: Foreign Workers

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that professionals recruited from non-English-speaking countries to work in the NHS speak proficient English.

Daniel Poulter: Overseas doctors make a valuable contribution to the national health service. However, it is vital that all doctors practising in the United Kingdom have the necessary language skills to help ensure patient safety and quality of care;
	All health care professionals from outside the European Union are required to demonstrate their ability to communicate in English before they are registered with the appropriate regulatory body.
	For EU professionals, the Department recently consulted on proposals to enable the General Medical Council to carry out proportionate language checks and we expect to have these powers in place by the summer. Officials are also working with all health care regulators to ensure that they have the powers they need to carry out proportionate language checks within the parameters of EU law.
	In addition, individual NHS organisations are responsible for ensuring that the people they employ have the required knowledge and skills, including language competency, for the posts for which they are applying.

Nursing and Midwifery Council

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will implement the proposals of the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Public Inquiry relating to the Nursing and Midwifery Council; and if he will bring forward legislative proposals to enable the Nursing and Midwifery Council to review its decisions.

Daniel Poulter: On 19 November 2013, the Government published ‘Hard Truths: the journey to putting patients first’ (Cm 8777) in response to the Mid Staffordshire Public Inquiry, which is available in the Library. This document provides individual responses to each of the Inquiry's 290 recommendations, including those relevant to the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), with implementation timescales where known.
	Work is also under way on an order under section 60 of the Health Act 1999 to amend the Nursing and Midwifery Order 2001 and also on associated amendments, to the NMCs rules. Amendments under consideration include introducing a power for the NMC to review ‘no case to answer’ decisions made in fitness-to-practise proceedings.

Pay

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (a) how many and (b) what proportion of staff employed by (i) his Department, (ii) agencies of his Department and (iii) contractors of his Department are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage.

Daniel Poulter: The Department currently does not employ any civil servants or engage agency workers or contractors on less than the local living wage as defined by the Living Wage Foundation.
	The Department's Executive Agencies have provided the information in the following table.
	
		
			 Executive agency Number paid less than living wage Proportion of staff paid less than living wage (percentage) 
			 Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency 0 — 
			 Public Health England 32 0.6

Social Services: Greater London

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total ring-fenced spending on social care was in each London borough in each of the last five years.

Norman Lamb: Most central Government funding for adult social care is not ring-fenced enabling local authorities to make their own decisions about spending according to local priorities.
	The national health service also transfers funding to local authorities for use on social care with a health benefit. The use of this funding has to be agreed between councils and their local NHS partners.
	The figures in the following tables show how much each of the London boroughs spent on social care in the last five years per head as well as overall spend. These include funding transferred from the NHS.
	
		
			  Per capita expenditure on social care1 (£) 
			 London boroughs 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-132 
			 Barking and Dagenham 346 321 307 288 277 
			 Barnet 324 329 327 308 290 
			 Bexley 261 255 256 246 233 
			 Brent 324 272 276 243 250 
			 Bromley 265 272 298 282 261 
			 Camden 422 430 449 441 427 
			 City of London 745 771 827 997 644 
			 Croydon 322 326 310 307 291 
			 Ealing 292 327 305 296 263 
			 Enfield 293 336 320 330 349 
			 Greenwich 299 340 321 294 271 
			 Hackney 343 433 414 387 352 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 310 307 325 329 324 
			 Haringey 335 337 330 330 322 
			 Harrow — 272 279 273 265 
			 Havering 271 281 284 258 240 
			 Hillingdon 272 323 297 278 289 
		
	
	
		
			 Hounslow 294 282 318 268 254 
			 Islington 437 436 404 378 339 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 437 436 404 378 339 
			 Kingston-upon-Thames 287 309 297 303 287 
			 Lambeth 461 461 456 410 369 
			 Lewisham 362 355 370 373 368 
			 Merton 268 274 268 300 253 
			 Newham 309 316 299 279 251 
			 Redbridge 267 266 261 259 255 
			 Richmond upon Thames 330 339 334 323 303 
			 Southwark 406 406 398 364 368 
			 Sutton 334 347 348 316 284 
			 Tower Hamlets 376 392 388 383 359 
			 Waltham Forest 285 315 314 293 273 
			 Wandsworth 352 352 358 342 321 
			 Westminster 445 484 477 387 448 
			 1 Note that this is per head net current expenditure data adjusted for NHS and Learning Disabilities transfers. 2 Does not include £100 million winter pressure transfer for 2012-13 
		
	
	
		
			  Total expenditure on social care in London boroughs by year1 (£) 
			 London boroughs 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-132 
			 Barking and Dagenham 59,666,749 56,924,492 56,171,000 53,929,011 52,741,926 
			 Barnet 110,053,976 113,854,016 115,019,398 110,200,845 105,410,281 
			 Bexley 59,229,479 58,240,053 59,022,925 57,170,972 54,652,489 
			 Brent 94,361,588 81,154,308 84,208,000 75,762,503 78,598,095 
			 Bromley 80,669,350 83,521,998 91,826,000 87,455,412 82,072,614 
			 Camden 88,698,508 91,545,695 96,464,000 96,976,904 96,121,977 
			 City of London 5,537,000 5,761,000 6,067,000 7,392,111 4,894,969 
			 Croydon 112,564,965 114,844,523 110,978,000 111,824,035 107,174,038 
			 Ealing 94,671,616 107,943,129 101,747,109 100,394,098 89,701,255 
			 Enfield 87,249,483 101,412,180 98,440,236 103,662,818 110,698,618 
			 Greenwich 71,675,164 82,791,593 80,100,237 75,239,562 70,385,175 
			 Hackney 79,144,186 102,455,744 99,975,308 95,602,370 88,817,467 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 38,045,959 37,937,572 40,587,654 41,366,699 40,765,326 
			 Haringey 81,999,411 84,106,514 83,425,693 84,355,632 83,248,860 
			 Harrow — 63,508,261 66,237,730 65,690,206 64,234,952 
			 Havering 62,773,715 65,766,411 67,133,079 61,491,533 57,568,118 
			 Hillingdon 71,069,849 85,886,489 80,046,000 76,494,097 81,540,948 
			 Hounslow 69,892,443 68,553,729 79,144,000 68,300,779 65,720,951 
			 Islington 83,967,529 85,670,040 80,935,890 77,909,340 71,513,884 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 83,967,529 85,670,040 80,935,890 77,909,340 71,513,884 
			 Kingston-upon-Thames 44,847,989 48,600,477 47,167,097 48,571,817 47,043,073 
			 Lambeth 133,422,578 135,623,519 135,589,000 124,905,007 114,581,698 
			 Lewisham 96,378,320 95,878,746 100,898,000 103,210,094 103,606,228 
			 Merton 52,588,085 54,302,118 53,306,543 60,223,216 51,209,696 
			 Newham 85,388,857 90,585,664 89,577,911 86,549,886 78,906,573 
			 Red bridge 70,994,576 71,949,148 71,930,000 72,970,589 72,494,263 
			 Richmond upon Thames 60,311,960 62,459,284 62,189,733 60,659,880 57,268,097 
			 Southwark 112,582,663 114,175,028 113,026,619 105,124,795 108,163,886 
			 Sutton 61,995,684 65,228,117 65,794,000 60,425,453 55,062,305 
			 Tower Hamlets 87,082,599 94,173,497 96,544,436 97,925,280 94,342,489 
			 Waltham Forest 68,924,443 78,072,953 79,732,546 76,207,274 71,740,680 
		
	
	
		
			 Wandsworth 103,590,080 105,317,613 108,395,033 105,355,615 99,091,154 
			 Westminster 97,328,854 105,094,445 103,503,882 85,059,472 100,371,182 
			 Total London 2,510,675,189 2,699,008,396 2,706,119,949 2,616,316,646 2,531,257,150 
			 1 Note that this is per head net current expenditure data adjusted for NHS and Learning Disabilities transfers. 2 Does not include £100 million winter pressure transfer for 2012-13

Soft Drinks: Schools

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Education on the use of energy drinks in schools.

Jane Ellison: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has policy responsibility for the safety of high caffeine drinks. It considers that caffeine has short-term effects on the heart rate and blood pressure. However, there are no long-term effects. The FSA advises that children and other people who are sensitive to caffeine should consume caffeine only in moderation.
	Public Health England recommends that children drink water, milk or fruit juice. Energy drinks would not be appropriate for children due to their high sugar content. In the United Kingdom many high caffeine drink manufacturers already voluntarily include advice about their unsuitability for children and pregnant women because of their high caffeine content.
	Legislation on school food standards does not allow energy drinks to be provided by schools. Additionally, a school could decide to adopt a policy about energy drinks from being brought onto, or consumed on, school premises.
	Ministers for the Department of Health and the Department for Education met in January to discuss school food policy, however, energy drinks were not discussed.

DEFENCE

Armed Forces: Young People

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 18 December 2014, Official Report, column 634W, on armed forces: young people, when a decision is expected on the publication of the Terms of Reference for the cost-benefit review of junior entrant recruitment.

Anna Soubry: The Army are still in the early stages of this work.
	Key assumptions framing this work include that: the analysis will identify the difference, in terms of input and outcome, which junior entrant training requires over standard entrant; and that costs and benefits of the end-to-end junior entrant recruitment process should be based on reliable and statistically significant evidence.
	The Cost Benefit Analysis will be looking at the Army only and will determine what the cost overhead is to the Ministry of Defence of Phase 1 training for Junior Entry soldiers against Standard Entry soldiers. I expect the initial report to be submitted by the end of March 2014.

Defence Engineering and Science Group

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Defence Engineering and Science Group.

Anna Soubry: The Defence Engineering and Science Group (DESG) is a term that originally applied to all engineering and science professionals in the Ministry of Defence, but is now used to describe the community of professional engineers and some scientists working in Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S).
	A review of the effectiveness of DESG staff in engineering and project or programme management roles in DE&S was undertaken between January and April 2013.
	The review identified the need to:
	Define a clearer professional structure for engineers and project/programme managers;
	Improve the development and upskilling of these staff throughout their careers;
	Improve the management of engineering talent; and
	Improve retention of suitably qualified and experienced staff.
	The implementation of these recommendations is currently under way.
	An additional review between April and July 2013 examined the effectiveness of recruitment to the DESG Graduate Scheme. This resulted in the following improvements:
	Increase of minimum degree class from 2.2 to 2.1;
	An improved recruitment process, including psychometric tests and telephone interviews; and
	Better communication with applicants during the recruitment process.

Iran

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when his Department was first notified of the ruling by the Court of Arbitration in the case of Iran v International Military Services Ltd.

Philip Dunne: The Ministry of Defence was notified in May 2001 of the International Chamber of Commerce Arbitration tribunal ruling, in the case of Iran v. International Military Services Ltd.

Military Aircraft

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many aircraft by type will be in inventory of the (a) RAF, (b) Royal Navy and (c) Army Air Corps in each of the next 10 years.

Philip Dunne: The force elements and capabilities for Future Force 2020, including military aircraft, were set out in the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR). These force elements and capabilities will be updated in the next SDSR, in 2015.
	The budgets allocated to equipment programmes, including for the air domain, are set out in the Ministry of Defence's forward Equipment Plan, the latest version of which was published in January 2013 and is available in the Library of the House. An update to the Equipment Plan will be published shortly.

RAF Waddington

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions the RC135 Airseeker has flown from RAF Waddington.

Mark Francois: The first RC-135 Airseeker aircraft was delivered to RAF Waddington six weeks ahead of the originally scheduled delivery date.
	The Airseeker platform is currently due to enter service in the last quarter of 2014, however it is hoped this will be brought forward. The RAF are currently carrying out ground based training and developing their skills. This includes ground testing and engineering familiarisation.

Trident Submarines

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 3 December 2013, Official Report, columns 639-40W, on Trident submarines, what the value of each contract was.

Philip Dunne: The value of each contract provided in my answer of 3 December 2013, Official Report, columns 639-40W:
	
		
			 Contract Description Value (£) 
			 1 Design Phase-BAES 671,986,515 
			 2 Design Phase-Babcock 51,032,000 
			 3 Design Phase-Rolls Royce 1- 
			 4 Design Phase-Collaboration 2- 
			 5 Mast Raising 434,833 
			 6 Submarine Communications Technology Demonstration Programme 4,962,000 
			 7. Retention of Astute Test Rig 334,505 
			 8 Submarine Communications 2,559,259 
			 9 Safety and Environment 1,151,625 
			 10 Strategic Weapon System Safety 206,025 
			 11 Strategic Weapon System Requirements 171,323 
			 12 Pressure Hull Materials 3- 
			 13 Pressure Hull Glands 3- 
			 14 Foreign and Commonwealth Office Services 3- 
			 15 Composites Programme Technology Demonstrator Programme 509,173 
			 16 Successor Facilities-Barrow 3- 
			 17 Extension Engineering Assurance 1,429,335 
			 18 Costs and Tools 1,724,646 
			 19 Signatures 1,149,854 
			 20 Requirements and Standards 792,800 
			 21 Technical Assurance and Non Acoustic Signature 3- 
		
	
	
		
			 22 Electrical Actuator Future Work (Phase 2) 427,509 
			 23 Equipment Security Grading 44,373 
			 24 Electro Magnetic Silencing 124,642 
			 25 Electro Magnetic Silencing 69,763 
			 26 Successor Stage 3 Environmental Shock Grade Curve Activities 449,323 
			 27 Spatial Governance Technical Support 115,606 
			 28 Variable Pressure Hydraulics Decision Support 24,917 
			 29 Electromagnetic Silencing 280,000 
			 30 Countermeasures Deployment Studies 12,000 
			 31 Support to Signature Management 150,000 
			 32 Core Task 180,000 
			 33 Composite Task 110,000 
			 34 Adviser Team to Future Submarine 155,000 
			 35 Signature support to Future Submarine Project Team 105,000 
			 36 Future Capability Support 87,500 
			 37 Infrastructure Assessment Study 139,900 
			 38 Capability System Requirement Document 71,600 
			 39 Technology Assessment of Countermeasure Launcher capability 3- 
			 40 Provision of Signature Support 100,000 
			 41 Provision of Subject Matter Expert Support 72,000 
			 42 Submarine Communications Subject Matter Expert Technical Support 260,000 
			 43 Successor Propulsor and Hydrodynamics 45,000 
			 44 Independent Technical and Programme Support 222,400 
			 45 Electrical and Whole Boat 285,000 
			 46 Multi Function Broad Spectrum Array and Future Telemetry System trials 30,920 
			 47 Next Generation Nuclear Propulsion Plant Phase 9 4375,620,039 
			 48 Next Generation Nuclear Propulsion Plant Phase 10 onwards 132,427,662 
			 49 Independent Nuclear Propulsion Advice and Assessment 5141,079,000 
			 50 Submarines Support Partner Task 99,980 
			 1 Not Let-This contract was not let because the activity has been incorporated into the Next Generation Nuclear Propulsion contracts, 47 and 48. 2 Zero Value-This contract has been placed, but any value will depend on what activity is carried out under it. 3 Not Let-These are currently at the tender/negotiation stage and the contracts have not yet been awarded. 4 This contract value covers Phases 1-9. 5 This contract covers technical and safety advice on all nuclear plant in the current fleet. Only a proportion, approximately £12 million, relates to the replacement Trident submarines.

Unmanned Air Vehicles

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what his long-term plans are for UK Reaper drones operating in Afghanistan;
	(2)  what consideration he has given to re-locating UK Reaper drones from Afghanistan to the US;
	(3)  what his policy is on the decommissioning of UK Reaper drones after 2014;
	(4)  what plans he has for the relocation of UK Reaper drones from Afghanistan after the conclusion of NATO operations at the end of 2014.

Philip Dunne: It is our intention to retain the Reaper capability for contingent purposes following the end of operations in Afghanistan. However, no final decisions have yet been taken on its future basing options.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Care Homes

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many timber framed residential care homes there are in the UK.

Brandon Lewis: This information is not held centrally.

Charities: Finance

Andrew McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many bids for grant funding under section 70 of the Charities Act 2006 were made to his Department in the last year; how many such bids were awarded; and what the value is of each such grant awarded.

Brandon Lewis: holding answer 28 January 2014
	During 2012-13 the Department for Communities and Local Government funded 44 organisations across 35 programmes under the section 70 of the Charities Act 2006. Payments totalled £22.865 million.
	The Department does not keep a record of all bids for grant funding that are received. Additionally, at the point the bid is received it is unlikely that the bidder would specify the legislation under which grant may be paid.
	The Department publishes a list of all grants paid under section. 70 of the Charities Act 2006 in its Annual Report and Accounts. This can be found at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/annual-report-and-accounts-2012-to-2013--2.
	S.70 payments made in 2012-13 are listed by programme in the 2012-13 Annual report and Accounts on pages 53-57.
	Data for 2013-14 is not yet available, but will be published in the Annual Report and Accounts in due course.

Community Relations: Hinduism

Bob Blackman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what his Department's budget allocation is for engagement with the Hindu community as a proportion of spending on engagement with other religions for the financial years (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12, (c) 2012-13 and (d) 2013-14;
	(2)  what his Department's budget allocation is for engagement with the (a) Muslim, (b) Christian, (c) Jewish, (d) Sikh and (e) Hindu religions in 2013-14;
	(3)  if he will make it his policy to increase his Department's spending on engagement with the Hindu community; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Williams: My Department engages with a range of faith communities through individual contacts and through representative bodies, and continues to liaise with a number of Hindu representative organisations and individuals. We do not have specific budgets for working with individual faiths, but all faiths are free to apply for financial support for inter-faith projects through out funding programmes and we hope they will do so.

Computer Software

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much his Department spent on software licences in (a) 2012 and (b) 2013.

Brandon Lewis: holding answer 17 January 2014
	In my answer of 16 January 2014, Official Report, column 609W, I noted how the Department is in the process of upgrading its desktop IT systems for productivity and security reasons, including the fact that the systems are seven years old, and that Windows XP and Microsoft Office 2003 will shortly no longer be supported.
	My Department has placed purchase orders relating to software licences costing £211,549 in 2012-13 and for £89,454 in the period April 2013 to December 2013. This excludes software purchased by our outsourced IT service provider.
	Doing nothing is not an option, given the lack of security patches would expose Government systems to potential cyber-attacks, and due to issues with old legacy software not working on new systems.
	However, the new arrangements are also an opportunity to deliver savings. The new Desktop IT Services contract will cut yearly costs by 40% compared to current contracts, delivering a significant saving for taxpayers. My previous answer also outlined the steps we are taking to use open source software.
	To place such figures in context, the right hon. Member may wish to peruse the answer of 6 February 2007, Official Report, column 780W, which outlines spending under the last Administration. The Department/its predecessor spent £3.2 million on non-corporate software licences in 2003-04, £2.6 million in 2004-05 and £1.8 million in 2005-06, plus an additional £2.1 million on corporate software licences and maintenance over that period.
	The last Administration failed to get value for taxpayers' money due to poor management of IT contracts. Indeed, the Department published a contract tender in December 2009 for a desktop IT programme costing up to £160 million. This was subsequently cancelled under this Government as part of our wider reduction in departmental spending and reconfiguration of IT procurement policy.

Council Tax

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how many local authorities in England have not increased levels of council tax in each of the last three years;
	(2)  what the take-up of council tax freeze grant by local authorities in England was in each of the last three years.

Brandon Lewis: holding answer 20 January 2014
	To assist the right hon. Member, the following table compares the rises in council tax in England under this Government with the last Labour Government. Overall, average council tax bills more than doubled under the Labour Government, but have fallen by 10% in real terms under this Government. This is due to this Government's council tax freeze and due to the provisions in the Localism Act to allow local residents to veto excessive council tax rises.
	
		
			  Percentage change in overall Band D bills 
			 1997-98 6.5 
			 1998-99 8.6 
			 1999-2000 6.8 
			 2000-01 6.1 
			 2001-02 6.4 
			 2002-03 8.2 
			 2003-04 12.9 
			 2004-05 5.9 
			 2005-06 4.1 
			 2006-07 4.5 
			 2007-08 4.2 
			 2008-09 3.9 
			 2009-10 3.0 
			 2010-11 1.8 
			 2011-12 0.0 
			 2012-13 0.3 
			 2013-14 0.8 
		
	
	Similarly, this chart shows the number of local authorities which increased council tax under this and the Labour Government. Local authorities which did not increase council tax in each of the last three years will have received council tax freeze grant.
	
		
			  Number of local authorities increasing council tax Total number of local authorities Proportion increasing council tax (Percentage)) 
			 1997-98 358 396 90 
			 1998-99 352 408 86 
			 1999-00 401 429 93 
			 2000-01 404 430 94 
			 2001-02 419 431 97 
			 2002-03 422 432 98 
			 2003-04 424 432 98 
			 2004-05 403 432 93 
			 2005-06 450 456 99 
			 2006-07 441 456 97 
			 2007-08 441 455 97 
			 2008-09 436 456 96 
			 2009-10 390 412 95 
			 2010-11 349 421 83 
			 2011-12 0 421 0 
			 2012-13 62 421 15 
			 2013-14 164 421 39 
			 Note: Figures include fire and rescue authorities and police authorities/Police and Crime Commission, and exclude town and parish councils. 
		
	
	A further council tax freeze offer is available to local authorities both this and next year, and I would encourage all local authorities to take up this additional central Government funding and help hard-working people with the cost of living.

Empty Property

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent estimate he has made of the number of unoccupied houses in the UK.

Kris Hopkins: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer of 21 January 2014, Official Report, column 116W.

Families: Disadvantaged

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  in how many of the families in the troubled families programme, for which a results payment has been made in respect of an adult moving into continuous employment, the adult has maintained continuous employment to date;
	(2)  with reference to his Department's press release entitled Troubled Families programme on track at half way stage, issued on 25 November 2013, how many of the 22,000 families described as turned around, and for which a results payment has been made, were still involved in (a) anti-social behaviour and (b) offending by minors at the time of the payment;
	(3)  with reference to his Department's press release entitled Troubled Families programme on track at half way stage, issued on 25 November 2013, how many of the 22,000 families described as turned around, and for which a results payment has been made, have subsequently maintained a reduction in fixed exclusions and unauthorised absences.

Kris Hopkins: My Department does not currently hold this information. However, as part of our independent national evaluation, local authorities have been asked to collect further information on a representative 10% sample of their troubled families about the sustainability of employment outcomes, education outcomes and on offending and anti-social behaviour. This information is currently being collected and will be published in due course.

Hinkley Point C Power Station

Andy Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will make an assessment of the case for a community benefit fund for Sedgemoor District Council during the eight-year period of the construction of Hinkley Point C.

Michael Fallon: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	I refer the hon. Member to the written statement I made on 17 July 2013, Official Report, columns 105-6WS.
	In this I announced a package of benefits for communities that host new nuclear power stations, which in the case of Hinkley could amount to approximately £128 million. The package will come in to effect with the start of operations at the new nuclear power station. During the construction phase local authorities and communities will have the benefit of a Section 106 funding package from EDF worth over £80 million agreed as part of the development consent for Hinkley Point.

Procurement

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many officials of each grade in his Department have the authority to execute a purchase; what proportion of these officials have professional procurement qualifications; and what key indicators are used by his Department to assess procurement officers' performance.

Brandon Lewis: We currently have 19 permanent staff and one interim who regularly deal with procurement services and help oversee £136 million of departmental procurement spending in 2012-13. Amongst them, there are 11 permanent procurement staff who are Members of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply, plus two civil servants who have Foundation Level qualifications and are studying for Full Membership.
	Their performance is assessed by the amount of savings that they can achieve for the Department which has resulted in a reduction in spend of 57% from £314 million in 2009-10 to £136 million in 2012-13 for the core DCLG department with suppliers, delivering a significant saving for taxpayers.
	From 1 February 2014, in line with wider Civil Service Reform plans, DCLG procurement staff and its central procurement function will be transferred to the Crown Commercial Service. The centralisation of Whitehall procurement activity under the Civil Service Reform plans is to deliver economies of scale, exploit savings and reduce duplication and provide a single face of government to the market.

Right to Buy Scheme

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he expects Islamic mortgages to be available for Right to Buy council home purchases; and if he will make a statement.

Kris Hopkins: The UK has long worked to ensure there is a level playing field in regulation and tax for consumers of Islamic finance products. For example, the double taxation of Islamic mortgages was removed, and there is now certainty of income tax and corporation tax treatment for financial institutions, companies and individuals who lend or borrow under Islamic finance arrangements.
	As announced by the Prime Minister at the World Islamic Economic Forum in London in October 2013, the Government will make sure there is a type of Start-Up Loan that is totally consistent with all the principles of Islamic finance, as well as for student loans and for the enterprise allowance.
	We are keen to enable social tenants to achieve their aspiration for home ownership and do not wish to preclude the use of Sharia'a compliant finance by tenants who want to take up their Right to Buy.
	Under the terms of the Right to Buy legislation, however, ownership of a property must pass direct from the landlord to the purchasing tenant, which is incompatible with Sharia'a compliant finance. The issues raised by such finance are complex and we welcome representations on this issue, with a view to finding a way to both protect the rights of individuals and provide security for Government funds.

JUSTICE

Driving Under Influence: Drugs

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many drug-driving convictions have been secured through the use of roadside drug analysis, also known as drugalyser, machines (a) in total and (b) by police force, in each of the last five years.

Damian Green: Information held centrally by the Ministry of Justice on the Court Proceedings Database does not contain information about the circumstances behind each case, beyond the description provided in the statute under which proceedings are brought. It is not possible to identify from this centrally held information convictions for drug-driving obtained using roadside drug analysis.

Employment Tribunals Service

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many claims were made to the Employment Tribunal Service between 29 July 2012 and 14 January 2013;
	(2)  how many claims were made to the Employment Tribunal Service between 29 July 2013 and 14 January 2014.

Shailesh Vara: I am answering these questions together. The number of claims received by the Employment Tribunals is published by the Ministry of Justice as Official Statistics (quarterly and annually) on the GOV.UK website. The next quarter (October to December 2013) is scheduled to be published on 13 March 2014. The most recent such statistical release is available here:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/tribunals-statistics

Prisons: Food

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average daily cost of feeding a prisoner is.

Jeremy Wright: The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) is responsible for setting food policy for all prison establishments in England and Wales. This policy requires prisoners to be provided with three meals a day. Meals must be safe to eat, offer prisoners variety and meet the nutritional, religious and medical needs of all. Currently each prison decides what meals are made available on a daily basis against a specification of requirement set out in Prison Service Instruction 44/2012 Catering Meals for Prisoners.
	The actual average national daily meal cost across all public sector prisons (including young offender institutions and immigration removal centres) for the fiscal year ending March 2013 was £2.20. Based on the new food contract agreed in October 2012, which is set to achieve significant food spend savings of 11% over the term of the contract, NOMS has been able to reduce food budgets in prisons to £1.96 per prisoner per day for 2013 -14.

Prisons: Freedom of Information

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many and what proportion of prisons in England and Wales were subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11, (c) 2011-12 and (d) 2012-13;
	(2)  what estimate his Department has made of the proportion of prisons in England and Wales that will be subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 by May 2015.

Jeremy Wright: The Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) applies to over 100,000 public sector bodies; including publically managed prisons. Prisons run by contracted out private companies are not subject to the Act. The number and proportion of those covered are set out as follows:
	
		
			  March 2010 March 2011 March 2012 March 2013 
			 Total Prisons 139 135 132 130 
			 Number subject to FOIA 128 124 119 116 
			 Percentage subject to FOIA 92 92 90 89 
			 Note: As at the last working Friday in March. 
		
	
	We estimate that by May 2015 there will be 102 public prisons and 14 private prisons—and therefore 88% of prisons will be covered by the Act. This estimate is based on current assumptions, and may be revised at any time.
	In our response to the Justice Select Committee's Post Legislative Scrutiny of the Act, we accepted the Committee's recommendation that contracts provide a more practical basis for applying FOI to outsourced services than designation under the Act.
	In order to effect this recommendation we will provide a revised Code of Practice to be issued under section 45 of the Act. This will promote openness by all contractors including through the use and enforcement of contractual transparency provisions to encourage still greater openness.
	The response to Post Legislative Scrutiny can be found in the House Library and at the following web address:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/217298/gov-resp-justice-comm-foi-act.pdf

Prisons: Wrexham

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what Welsh language facilities will be provided for inmates and staff in the planned prison in Wrexham.

Jeremy Wright: NOMS published its Welsh Language Scheme on 25 June 2013. This details the provision of Welsh language facilities in prisons in both England and Wales. The scheme applies equally to those services delivered directly by NOMS and those which are delivered by other providers on NOMS behalf.

Probation

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether males convicted of domestic abuse or violence will be supervised by the National Probation Service under the Government's Transforming Rehabilitation arrangements.

Jeremy Wright: The National Probation Service (NPS) will carry out a risk assessment of all offenders and will be responsible for the direct management of those offenders who pose the highest risk of serious harm to the public and who have committed the most serious offences, including every offender who falls under Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA). This includes offenders who are convicted of serious sexual and violent offences Offenders who are deemed to pose a medium and low risk will be managed by a Community Rehabilitation Company (CRC).
	Where a CRC has information that suggests an offender's risk level may have changed, they will be required to refer the case back to the NPS for a further risk assessment. The Secretary of State will continue to issue national standards for the management of offenders, and the Government will place contractual requirements on CRCs to ensure that the risk of harm posed by all offenders is effectively managed.
	Providers bidding to run CRCs will need to demonstrate in their bids how they would deliver high quality rehabilitative support to offenders, and they will be held to account to deliver these services in their contracts. Bidders will also need to demonstrate how they will maintain a work force with appropriate levels of competence and training to deliver these services. In addition to supervision and activities designed to rehabilitate the offender, a court order can require an offender to attend an accredited programme designed specifically for offenders convicted of domestic violence related offences. The Government will continue to set standards for the delivery of these programmes.

Probation

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he has taken to engage with local partners and local services as part of the Transforming Rehabilitation Probation programme.

Jeremy Wright: Responding to local needs and making the best use of effective local services is central to the aims of the Transforming Rehabilitation programme.
	We have established local competition teams who have been engaging with local partners during the competition process and this is complimented by the establishment of three reference groups for PCCs, local authority and integrated offender management to help inform our reforms at a national level. In addition, contracts will be designed to respond to changing demands and priorities at local and national levels, as well as to any new legislation.
	The Competition Data Room we have now opened allows bidders to access information on existing partnerships and those working with offenders in each Contract Package Area. A web-based Partnership Finder has been established specifically to help larger providers and small and medium sized organisations to find opportunities to work together.
	The competition has created extensive interest with around 830 separate registrations of interest from those keen to become supply chain partners.

Work Capability Assessment: Appeals

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many people in (a) the UK, (b) Scotland and (c) South Lanarkshire successfully appealed against a work capability assessment decision in 2013;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the cost to his Department of appeals against the work capability assessment in 2013.

Shailesh Vara: The First-tier Tribunal—Social Security and Child Support (SSCS), administered by HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) hears appeals against Department for Work and Pensions' (DWP) decisions on entitlement to employment and support allowance (ESA), decisions in which the work capability assessment (WCA) is a key factor, rather than appeals against WCA decisions themselves. HMCTS does not, therefore, hold the information requested.
	Information on appeals against ESA decisions is published by HMCTS in Tribunal statistics quarterly. The most recent report for the period July to September 2013 published on 12 December 2013 can be viewed at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tribunal-statistics-quarterly-july-to-september-2013

Young Offender Institutions

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what guidelines his Department gives for the contents of a young offender's cell.

Jeremy Wright: The revised Incentives and Earned Privileges (IEP) national policy framework came into effect on 1 November 2013 and applies to prisoners aged 18 and over, including those held in a young offender institution. Under the revised framework, prisoners will have to work towards their own rehabilitation, behave well and help others if they wish to earn privileges. The revised policy introduces a standardised facilities list, which identifies and limits the items of property that prisoners can retain in their cells, subject to their IEP level. The list is available for each Governor to select from, as considered suitable for the specific population, the physical fabric and the regime of the prison or institution.
	We are also developing a bespoke IEP scheme for young people (those aged under 18), which will ensure that young people earn privileges and are encouraged to behave positively in custody as well.
	Property is further limited by volumetric control measures as set out in Prison Service Instruction 12/2011.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Barnfield College

Gavin Shuker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many visits to Barnfield College were made by his Department or its executive agencies before the start of the investigation of the college in September 2013.

Matthew Hancock: There were 17 visits to Barnfield College by officials from the Skills Funding Agency since September 2012.

Barnfield College

Gavin Shuker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many visits to Barnfield College were made by officials of his Department or its executive agencies before the start of the investigation of the college in September 2013; on what dates such visits were made; and for what purpose such visits were made.

Matthew Hancock: There were 17 visits to Barnfield College by officials from the Skills Funding Agency since September 2012. These visits took place in September, October and December 2012, and between January and September 2013. These meetings were for operational and performance monitoring purposes.

Business: Advisory Services

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many firms are currently taking part in the Growth Vouchers programme.

Matthew Hancock: The Growth Vouchers Programme was officially launched on 27 January 2014. Therefore it is too early to report on the number of businesses that have signed up to participate in the programme.
	Over 1,200 private sector business support providers have already signed up to deliver the advice element of the programme through a new online marketplace.
	The Growth Vouchers programme runs until March 2015.
	Small businesses can apply at:
	www.gov.uk/apply-growth-vouchers

Business: Brigg

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many companies registered in Brigg and Goole constituency are classified as (a) small and (b) medium-sized as defined by the Companies Act 1985.

Michael Fallon: According to Companies House's records, there are an estimated 3,209 companies in the Brigg and Goole constituency. However, Companies House cannot determine the number of companies classified as (a) small and (b) medium-sized as the Companies Act 2006 definitions are based on turnover, balance sheet total and number of employees and Companies House does not capture this information.

Business: Government Assistance

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what minimum accreditation standards his Department has put in place for growth coaches taking part in the Growth Accelerator scheme.

Matthew Hancock: GrowthAccelerator Growth Coaches are selected through an intensive recruitment and due diligence process which ensures that they can demonstrate:
	first-hand knowledge of growing a business either as a business owner or in a senior position;
	a successful track record in coaching that is focused on business performance;
	the ability to build strong and robust relationships with business leaders; and
	the ability to demonstrate credibility, expertise and experience in business.
	Only a Growth Coach who has been successful in the recruitment and due diligence process managed by the GrowthAccelerator consortium, will be accepted as a registered and approved Growth Coach.

Company Accounts

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what his policy is on an EU-level non-financial reporting law that would require all large companies to report on the effect of their supply chains on people and the environment.

Jennifer Willott: Given the smaller number of shareholders in private companies compared to public companies, I do not believe that extending the scope from public to private companies in the EU proposal on non-financial reporting would be appropriate at this time. This is in line with the domestic position, recently reaffirmed by Parliament, in which only listed companies are subject to the majority of the UK's new narrative reporting requirements, including providing information on human rights and environmental issues where necessary for an understanding of the business.

Copyright: Enforcement

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  what his policy is on criteria used to allocate the revenue support grant to different local authorities for the purpose of funding the enforcement of the criminal provisions of the Trade Marks Act 1994 and the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how much financial support his Department allocates to each trading standards service as part of the revenue support grant to fund the enforcement of criminal provisions of the Trade Marks Act 1994 and the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

Jennifer Willott: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills does not fund individual trading standards services.
	The revenue support grant is provided by the Department for Communities and Local Government to local authorities, to cover a number of local services.
	Local authorities are independent from central Government and are, therefore, responsible for their own finances. This means that spending or resourcing decisions are for individual local authorities to make. The issue of priorities is ultimately a matter for local discretion.

Curzon Institute

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what contact his Department had with (a) Curzon Education and (b) the Curzon Institute; what contracts his Department holds with those bodies; and what the value of those contracts is.

Jennifer Willott: A record of all contact made with individual organisations is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate costs. However, details of meetings undertaken by Ministers, the Permanent Secretary and Director Generals are published quarterly and can be found at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications
	I can also confirm that the Department does not have any contracts in place with (a) Curzon Education or (b) the Curzon Institute.
	In addition, since January 2011 central Government Departments have been required to publish information on the contracts they award on Contracts Finder:
	www.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk/

Departmental Responsibilities

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many meetings (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have had with (i) the World Sugar Research Organisation, (ii) Sugar Nutrition UK and (iii) British Sugar since May 2010.

Jennifer Willott: Details of Ministers' meetings with external organisations up to 30 September 2013 are published quarterly on the Gov.uk website:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications?departments%5B%5D=department-for-business-innovation-skills&publication_type=transparency-data
	Information for October to December 2013 will be published in due course.
	Information on any meetings between officials and representatives of the above organisations is not held centrally.

Direct Mail: Fraud

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  what steps (a) Royal Mail and (b) Post Office Limited are taking to tackle scam mail in its mail deliveries;
	(2)  what action Post Office Limited has taken with regard to the customer with prepaid account number HQ 50456 regarding concerns over scam mail fraud.

Jennifer Willott: Any questions or concerns relating to the delivery of its mail or the operation of prepaid mail accounts are the operational responsibility of Royal Mail (rather than Post Office Ltd) and should therefore be raised direct with Royal Mail's management.
	Consumers can easily report suspected scams to “Action Fraud” either online via the Action Fraud website:
	www.actionfraud.police.uk
	or by phoning 0300 123 2040. This service also provides help and advice over the phone via the Action Fraud contact centre. Consumers can also report concerns over any mailings promoting prize draws or competitions to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for investigation:
	www.asa.org.uk
	And scam mail can also be reported direct to Royal Mail by emailing (scam.mail(g)royalmail.com) or by reporting concerns by phone (08456 113413). This can be done by either the direct recipient or someone on behalf of a potential victim. More information about Royal Mail's helpline can be found on its website:
	http://www.royalmail.com/personal/help-and-support/what-can-I-do-about-scam-mail

Employment: Young People

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will create a national certification scheme for work readiness for young people.

Matthew Hancock: The issue of work readiness is already being addressed through the introduction of traineeships and the publication of approved lists of qualifications recognised by employers as leading to an occupation.
	Last September we launched Traineeships, an education and traineeship programme involving work experience for students seeking to enter employment. In December the first list of Tech Levels, qualifications recognised by employers as leading to occupation, was published. A further list of trade and skills and qualifications is planned for later this year.

Higher Education Funding Council for England

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when he expects to issue the Higher Education Funding Council for England funding letter.

David Willetts: We will issue the Higher Education Funding Council for England grant letter shortly.

Investment

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the level of gross fixed investment in the UK as a percentage of GDP.

Michael Fallon: As a share of GDP, the UK has historically had the lowest gross fixed capital formation (GFCF) among the G7 economies (see following table). However, while GFCF includes tangible investments such as machinery, equipment, buildings and dwellings, it excludes many intangible investments such as spending on innovation and R&D—where the UK tends to invest more heavily than other G7 countries.
	In common with other G7 countries UK GFCF peaked in 2007—at 18% of GDP and then fell following the 2008/09 recession. The UK, USA and Italy all fell by a total of 4ppts but, while the USA has since picked up by 1ppt, the UK was unchanged between 2011 and 2012, at 14% of GDP.
	In their latest December 2013 Economic and fiscal outlook, the Office for Budget Responsibility, forecast that UK GFCF will gradually improve over the next five years and increase to 18% of GDP in 2018.
	
		
			 Gross fixed capital formation as percentage of GDP 
			 Percentage 
			  1990 1995 2000 2005 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 
			 Canada 20 17 19 23 24 24 22 23 23 24 
			 France 19 17 19 19 20 20 19 19 19 19 
			 Germany 19 19 20 17 18 18 17 17 18 17 
			 Italy 21 19 20 21 21 21 19 19 19 17 
			 Japan 30 27 25 22 22 21 20 19 19 20 
			 UK 16 15 17 17 18 17 15 15 14 14 
			 USA 19 19 22 22 22 21 19 18 19 19

Land

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills which sites owned by his Department are currently earmarked for disposal; what the current class use is of each site; what the expected planning use is for each site; whether each site already has planning permission for the expected planning use; what the market value of the site is; and whether the site will be sold for the full market value.

Jennifer Willott: I refer my hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, my right hon. Friend the Member for Horsham (Mr Maude), on 28 January 2014, Official Report, column 514W.

Lasers

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will classify 3a or 3b laser pens as dangerous items.

Jennifer Willott: The safety standard ‘BS EN 60685-1:1994 Safety of Laser Products’ specifies those laser pointers to be used by either professionals or consumers. Class 3a and 3b lasers pens are not considered safe for general consumer use.

Local Government: Urban Areas

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to ensure the involvement of business organisations and stakeholders in the Wave2 City Deals programme.

Michael Fallon: Government is committed to devolving power to local level, encouraging local partners to take the lead in shaping local economic strategy.
	With the help of officials across Government including BIS, local leaders, LEPs and business organisations have worked together to develop innovative City Deals that focus on a range of policy areas. These include: business support schemes that will lever in over £60 million of private sector investment; business-led skills programmes such as the Employer Ownership for Skills scheme in Southampton and Portsmouth; and a range of infrastructure programmes that will unlock significant amounts of private sector investment.
	The level of involvement of business organisations and stakeholders in City Deal negotiations is something for local areas to determine. However, evidence of business and stakeholder engagement is a factor when deals are assessed.

Manufacturing Industries: Retirement

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the potential for skills shortages in the manufacturing sector caused by the retirement of experienced workers.

Matthew Hancock: In August 2012, the UK Commission for Employment and Skills published “Working Futures”. This report analysed labour market projections for key sectors, including manufacturing, which took account of the replacement needs occasioned by retirements.
	Engineering skills are important as manufacturing recovers. On 4 November last year, the chief scientist for the Department of Business Innovation and Skills, Professor John Perkins, launched his review of engineering skills in England. The review is a call to action to bring engineering employers, the profession and educators together to address the long-term challenge of engineering skills supply. The Government is already taking action to support his recommendations, for example on encouraging more young people to take up careers in engineering.

Minimum Wage

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans he has to review the level of the minimum wage.

Jennifer Willott: The Low Pay Commission (LPC) makes its recommendations for the rates based on a rigorous and thorough analysis of the latest evidence. The Government fully supports the work of the LPC and values its independent and impartial analysis.
	On 15 January 2014 Government submitted evidence to the LPC including analysis of the latest economic data relevant to the remit which we issued to it in June 2013.
	In addition the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, my right hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), has asked the Low Pay Commission to look at what economic conditions would be needed to allow the national minimum wage to rise in the future by more than current conditions allow without having an adverse impact on jobs.
	The Low Pay Commission will submit its recommendations to the Government shortly.

Public Expenditure

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what his Department's forecast underspend of DEL was for the years 2013-14 and 2014-15 at the time of the Autumn Statement.

Jennifer Willott: The forecast DEL position for 2013-14 at the time of the autumn statement was stated within the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) mid-year report:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/265922/bis-13-1336-mid-year-report-april-to-september-2013.pdf
	BIS forecasted a total RDEL overspend of £9 million and net CDEL underspends of £701 million, of which £715 million was attributable to financial transactions.
	At the time of the autumn statement, final budgets had not been set for 2014-15.

Secondment

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many civil servants in his Department have been seconded to the private sector in each of the last three years.

Jennifer Willott: The following table shows the numbers of civil servants who have undertaken secondments out of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (and its predecessors) since 2010.
	
		
			 Organisation From To 
			 Unknown1 31 July 2006 4 December 2010 
			 Unknown1 2 January 2008 31 December 2010 
			 Unknown1 14 September 2008 15 September 2011 
			 Unknown1 28 September 2008 1 September 2010 
			 Unknown1 19 –October 2008 20 October 2010 
			 Unknown1 31 January 2009 31 January 2010 
			 Unknown1 31 August 2009 31 August 2010 
			 Unknown1 15 September 2009 16 September 2011 
			 Unknown1 20 September 2009 21 September 2011 
			 Unknown1 11 November 2009 16 July 2010 
			 Unknown1 30 June 2011 26 April 2015 
			 EADS Astrium 31 August 2011 1 January 2013 
			 European Commission 30 November 2011 30 November 2012 
			 Unknown1 4 December 2011 5 October 2014 
			 LOCOG 18 January 2012 11 September 2012 
			 MRC 18 January 2012 26 October 2012 
			 FTI Consulting 30 April 2012 10 January 2014 
			 EBRD 30 April 2012 31 May 2013 
		
	
	
		
			 PA Consulting 30 April 2012 28 February 2014 
			 BBC 8 July 2012 25 July2012 
			 DoH/Monitor 15 July 2012 12 July 2013 
			 PA Consulting 2 September 2012 3 September 2013 
			 European Commission 31 October 2012 1 November 2014 
			 Learning and Skills Development Agency 20 January 2013 31 January 2014 
			 Research Council 31 March 2013 29 March 2014 
			 EU 31 March 2013 1 September 2014 
			 Research Council 30 April 2013 31 March 2014 
			 Research Council 12 May 2013 13 November 2013 
			 Skanska 12 June 2013 12 June 2015 
			 Groceries Code Adjudicator 30 June 2013 1 January 2014 
			 National Policing Improvement Agency 26 August 2013 27 August 2014 
			 PA Consulting 1 November 2013 31 March 2015 
			 1 Unfortunately, the organisation receiving the secondee was not recorded on old KR systems and trying to track down the individuals concerned or their managers to verify the records (some of whom may since have left the Department) would involve disproportionate cost. Note: Each line represents one person.

Secondment

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many private sector secondees his Department employed in each of the last three years.

Jennifer Willott: The number of secondees from the private sector working in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills during each of the last three financial years were as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
			 2010-11 7 
			 2011-12 34 
			 2012-13 24 
		
	
	Available data held locally for the period from March 2013 to the end of December 2013 shows 23 private sector secondees working in the Department.

Skills Funding Agency

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when he expects to issue the Skills Funding Agency funding letter.

Matthew Hancock: The Skills Funding Statement will be issued soon.

Students: Loans

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what forecast his Department has made of (a) the amount spent on student loans for students at private colleges in (i) 2013-14 and (ii) 2014-15 and (b) the RAB charge for such loans.

David Willetts: The estimated cash expenditure by financial year is (i) £400 million in 2013-14 and (ii) £600 million in 2014-15. We do not estimate a specific RAB charge for students at private colleges. Our current estimate of the RAB charge across all full-time undergraduates is around 40%.

CABINET OFFICE

Government Statistics

Kate Green: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps he takes to ensure the accuracy of Government statistics.

Nick Hurd: Responsibility for independently assessing and monitoring the quality of official statistics lies with the UK Statistics Authority. This independent body operates at arm's length from Government and is directly accountable to Parliament.
	The Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, my right hon. Friend the Member for Horsham (Mr Maude), meets regularly with Sir Andrew Dilnot, Chair of the Authority, to discuss a range of statistical matters, including the accuracy of official statistics.

Public Services: Digitisation

Henry Smith: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what progress he has made on digitising public services.

Francis Maude: By 2015 we will have moved a first wave of 25 public services online. We are making good progress and five are already available to the public including applications for lasting power of attorney.

Government Contracts: Small Businesses

Meg Hillier: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what progress he has made on opening up procurement of government contracts to the small business sector.

Nick Hurd: The Government is taking forward Lord Young's recommendations to create an SME-friendly ‘single market’ for public procurement and has published our next steps in ‘Small Business Great Ambition’. The proposals build on central Government reforms to make its businesses more accessible to small and medium sized businesses.

Social Investment Market

Damian Hinds: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps he is taking to encourage growth in the social investment market.

Nick Hurd: This Government is committed to supporting the growth of the social investment market through ground-breaking initiatives such as Big Society Capital, the Investment and Contract Readiness Fund, the Social Outcomes Fund, and the social investment tax relief.

Employment

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of the number of people who were under-employed in (a) Coventry, (b) the West Midlands and (c) England in each of the last three years.

Nick Hurd: holding answer 28 January 2014
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority.
	I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Peter Fullerton, dated January 2014
	On behalf of the Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people who were under-employed in (a) Coventry, (b) the West Midlands and (c) England in each of the last three years. 184818
	Estimates have been provided using the Annual Population Survey January-December datasets for the years 2010, 2011 and 2012 for the number of people who are under-employed in England, the West Midlands and Coventry.
	Someone is classified as under-employed if they are willing to work more hours because they want a job additional to their current job, want another job with longer hours, or want more hours in their current job. They also have to be able to start working longer hours within 2 weeks. To be classified as under-employed the number of hours worked during the reference week cannot exceed 40 hours, if they are under 18, and 48 hours if they are over 18 years of age.
	As with any sample survey, estimates from the APS are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
	
		
			  Under-employed (Thousands) 
			 2012:  
			 England 2,454.70 
			 West Midlands 214.7 
			 Coventry 13.6 
			 2011:  
			 England 2,321.10 
			 West Midlands 223.3 
			 Coventry 13.4 
			 2010:  
			 England 2,256.30 
			 West Midlands 216.5 
			 Coventry 13.1

Government Departments: Procurement

Ann McKechin: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether the Government Procurement Service imposes any conditions in its contracts on the employment of apprentices by the companies from which it procures.

Francis Maude: It is the policy of the Crown Commercial Service to award contracts on the basis of value for money, which means the optimum combination of cost and quality over the lifetime of the project.
	Conditions relating to apprenticeships would be included only where it is proportionate to do so and they are relevant to the subject matter of the contract.

Leasehold

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what number of leasehold properties was revealed in the 2011 Census.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated January 2014
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question to ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what number of leasehold properties was revealed by the 2011 Census. (185033)
	There was not a question in the 2011 Census which asked whether or not a property was leasehold therefore we are unable to supply the information requested. The question on tenure asked whether or not a property was owned outright or owned with a mortgage but did not distinguish whether the property was freehold or leasehold.
	I understand that this information is available from the Land Registry.

Unemployment: EU Nationals

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what recent estimate he has made of the number of citizens of other EU member states living in the UK who are not in employment.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Peter Fullerton, dated January 2014
	On behalf of the Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what recent estimate has made of the number of citizens of other EU member states living in the UK who are not in employment. (184508)
	Estimates of employment by nationality are derived from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). For the period July to September 2013 it was estimated that 603,000 people resident in the UK aged 16 and over, who gave their nationality as from an EU member state, were either unemployed or economically inactive. The economically inactive category includes people who are retired or in education.
	As with any sample survey, estimates from LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty. It is estimated that the true value is likely to lie between 541,000 and 664,000.

ELECTORAL COMMISSION COMMITTEE

Electoral Register

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what discussions the Electoral Commission has had with (a) the National Union of Students, (b) Bite the Ballot, (c) groups representing young people, (d) groups representing Black and ethnic communities and (e) groups representing the unemployed about the effect of the introduction of voter identification at polling stations on (i) electoral registration and (ii) electoral turnout.

Gary Streeter: The Electoral Commission informs me that it regularly discusses electoral registration and participation with a variety of representative groups.
	The Commission intends to carry out further detailed research and consultation on the most appropriate forms of identification which could be used to verify the identity of voters at polling stations in Great Britain.
	It expects to consult a range of organisations including the National Union of Students, Bite the Ballot, groups representing young people, groups representing black and ethnic communities and groups representing the unemployed, in order to consider the implications of specific proposals.
	The Commission intends to publish its detailed proposals for a proof of identity scheme by the end of 2014.

Electoral Register

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what discussions the Electoral Commission has had with (a) the National Union of Students, (b) Bite the Ballot, (c) groups representing young people, (d) groups representing Black and ethnic communities and (e) groups representing the unemployed about the Electoral Commission's proposed changes to the handling of electoral registration forms.

Gary Streeter: The Electoral Commission informs me that it has put forward no proposals to change the handling of electoral registration forms.
	As part of its review into electoral fraud however, which was published in January 2014, the Commission said that it will update its Code of Conduct after May 2014 to prevent campaigners from handling postal votes, or postal vote applications. This is part of a package of recommendations to prevent electoral fraud.
	The Commission will work with a variety of organisations and stakeholders—including the National Union of Students, Bite the Ballot and groups representing young people, Black and Minority Ethnic communities and the unemployed—to highlight the change to the new system of registration under Individual Electoral Registration (IER), including the option of registering to vote online.

Electoral Register

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what assessment he has made of the effect of proposed rule changes to the handling of electoral registration forms on the ability of civic society groups to increase registration of under-represented sectors of the population.

Gary Streeter: The Electoral Commission informs me that it has put forward no proposals to change the handling of electoral registration forms.
	As part of the recommendations stemming from its review into electoral fraud, published in January 2014, the Commission has, however, said it will update its Code of Conduct after May 2014 to prevent campaigners from handling postal votes, or postal vote applications. This is part of a package of recommendations to prevent electoral fraud produced by the Commission.

Electoral Register

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, with which bodies the Electoral Commission has collaborated on efforts to increase voter registration.

Gary Streeter: The Electoral Commission informs me that it regularly works with a range of bodies to increase voter registration, providing resources and materials to assist and support their campaigns.
	These resources are available on its aboutmyvote.co.uk website and include posters, online banners, leaflets, FAQs and booklets.
	In addition, the Commission provides guidance and resources to electoral registration officers to support their efforts to increase voter registration. It also sets performance standards that help ensure EROs understand the particular challenges in their area, and are taking steps to address these.
	To support the transition to Individual Electoral Registration (IER) the Commission will also be providing EROs with template leaflets, letters, digital advertisements and posters for use as part of their local public engagement plans.
	As part of the Electoral Commission's public awareness campaign to support the introduction of individual electoral registration, it is also approaching a range of organisations that are well placed to help ensure as many people as possible remain on or are added to electoral registers. These include:
	Student-facing organisations, such as the National Union of Students
	Private companies that are well placed to reach home-movers, such as utility companies and broadband providers.
	Companies and organisations that are well placed to reach young people, such as mobile phone companies, volunteering groups and travel card providers.
	The Commission has also drawn on the experience of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the Ministry of Defence (MOD) in establishing the most productive methods of ensuring those UK citizens living or serving overseas are contacted.

Electoral Register

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what steps the Electoral Commission has taken to register attainers.

Gary Streeter: The Electoral Commission informs me that, as an under-registered demographic, attainers are a key target for all of its public awareness campaigns. The Commission uses a range of media formats, timings and placements to specifically reach this group and other young people.
	As part of its guidance issued to Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), the Commission makes specific reference to attainers being an under-registered group and has provided advice and tactics—including examples of good practice—on how to engage with this group.
	The Commission will also be providing EROs with template leaflets, letters, digital advertisements and posters for use as part of their local public engagement activity during the transition to Individual Electoral Registration (IER).

Electoral Register

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what (a) input and (b) output measures the Electoral Commission uses to assess its performance in increasing electoral registration.

Gary Streeter: The Electoral Commission informs me that, due to electoral registers being held by each electoral registration officer individually, it is not possible to accurately measure changes in registration levels directly attributable to the Commission's public awareness campaigns.
	The Commission therefore uses the number of registration forms downloaded from its www.aboutmyvote.co.uk website during the period of the campaign as the main measure of its effectiveness.
	In addition the Commission uses various ‘input’ and ‘output’ measures to assess specific aspects of its campaigns and these vary depending on the campaign. The Commission typically uses overall campaign recognition among the target population as its main ‘output’ measure of performance.
	The Commission also carries out periodic studies on the completeness and accuracy of the electoral registers. The next study will be conducted on the February/March 2014 registers, which will be compiled through the final household canvass and will act as a baseline for assessing the impact of the introduction of individual electoral registration.
	A further study will then be conducted on the first registers published after the transition to IER is complete (either in December 2015 or December 2016).

Electoral Register

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what assistance the Electoral Commission has given to civic society groups to facilitate the registration of unregistered voters.

Gary Streeter: The Electoral Commission informs me that it provides resources to civic society groups, and other groups, via its website. This includes e-mail and website banners, posters, leaflets and template press releases that stakeholders can use to direct people to information about voter registration.
	The Commission also informs me that it can also provide electoral registration forms to civic society groups to distribute at events, or via their networks.
	In addition, the Commission responds to requests from civic society groups-such as Bite the Ballot- to support their initiatives to encourage registration.

Electoral Register

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what proportion of the (a) white and (b) non-white population were registered to vote in each of the last 20 years.

Gary Streeter: The Electoral Commission informs me that it does not hold the requested data, which is not collected annually and is only available through specific studies into electoral registration.
	In the last 20 years, there have been three relevant studies. In 1991, the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys matched census data against the electoral registers and found the proportion of eligible individuals registered to vote by ethnicity was as follows:
	
		
			 Ethnicity Registration rate (Percentage) 
			 White 94 
			 Black 76 
			 Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi 85 
		
	
	
		
			 Other 76 
		
	
	In 2005, the Office for National Statistics, working on behalf of the Electoral Commission, matched 2001 census data against the electoral registers in force in for December 2000 and found:
	
		
			 Ethnicity Registration rate (Percentage) 
			 White 94 
			 Black and minority ethnic 83 
		
	
	In 2011, the Commission carried out a house-to-house survey across Great Britain in order to assess the quality of the registers in force in April 2011. This project produced the following findings:
	
		
			 Ethnicity Registration rate (Percentage) 
			 White 86 
			 Black and minority ethnic 77

Electoral Register: Fraud

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what assessment the Electoral Commission has made of the effect on public perceptions of electoral registration fraud of (a) newspaper coverage, (b) the views of politicians and (c) statements by the Electoral Commission.

Gary Streeter: The Electoral Commission informs me that it carries out regular public opinion research on concerns about electoral fraud and, since 2010, has asked people in its annual UK-wide tracker survey whether they think registering to vote is safe from fraud. The proportion of people who said that they thought electoral registration is safe from fraud in each year is set out in the following table:
	
		
			 Percentage 
			  December 2010 December 2011 December 2012 
			 Very safe 22 23 23 
			 Fairly safe 57 58 55 
			 Neither safe nor unsafe 10 6 7 
			 Fairly unsafe 7 8 8 
			 Very unsafe 2 2 3 
			 Don't know 3 4 3 
			 Safe 79 80 78 
			 Unsafe 9 10 11 
		
	
	More generally, the tracker survey has found that the percentage that think electoral fraud is a problem has fluctuated at around one-third (36% said it was a problem in December 2012).
	The Commission's research has not assessed the specific effect of the views of politicians or statements by the Electoral Commission on public perceptions of electoral registration fraud. Research carried out on behalf of the Commission in 2012 found that three in ten (29%) people had heard stories in the media about electoral fraud.
	The Electoral Commission also informs me that it contracted the agency Define Research and Insight to carry out qualitative research with the public into perceptions of electoral fraud. The research was carried out in two phases between January and May 2013, and included a combination of group discussions and individual depth interviews undertaken in a range of locations across the UK.
	The evidence from this research suggests that people do not have a deep understanding about electoral fraud but they do have a general concern about the possibility of fraud taking place. Views are rarely influenced by first-hand experience of electoral fraud and are more likely to be based on cases reported by the media and people's own assumptions about fraud, some of them unfounded.
	Findings from this research are available on the Commission's website at:
	http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/our-work/our-research/public-opinion-surveys

Electoral Register: Scotland

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, if he will publish the name of each local authority in Scotland that failed the Standard Three performance standard for the completeness and accuracy of electoral registration records in 2012.

Gary Streeter: The Electoral Commission informs me that all EROs in Scotland met performance standard 3 in 2012.
	The Electoral Commission refers the hon. Gentleman to its earlier reply of 29 November 2013, Official Report, columns 451-54W, in which it outlined the authorities in Great Britain that did not meet the performance standard in 2012.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

International Citizen Service

Gavin Shuker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much was spent on the International Citizen Service programme in each country in each year since 2011.

Justine Greening: DFID does not centrally hold this information in the form you have requested.

Land

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which sites owned by her Department are currently earmarked for disposal; what the current class use is of each site; what the expected planning use is for each site; whether each site already has planning permission for the expected planning use; what the market value of the site is; and whether the site will be sold for the full market value.

Alan Duncan: DFID does not own any sites that are currently earmarked for disposal.

Pay

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (a) how many and (b) what proportion of staff employed by (i) her Department, (ii) agencies of her Department and (iii) contractors of her Department are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage.

Alan Duncan: DFID and its arms lengths bodies do not pay any of their employees or directly contracted workers less than the “living wage” as defined by the Living Wage Foundation.

Procurement

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many officials of each grade in her Department have the authority to execute a purchase; what proportion of these officials have professional procurement qualifications; and what key indicators are used by her Department to assess procurement officers' performance.

Justine Greening: The Department has the following grades of officials within the procurement department that can execute purchases on its behalf.
	
		
			 Grade Ability to purchase 
			 G5 1 
			 Al 2 
			 A2 5 
			 A2L 24 
			 B1 7 
			 B2 8 
			 C1 1 
		
	
	The Department has the following grades of officials professionally procurement qualified.
	
		
			 Grade Professionally qualified (Percentage) 
			 G5 100 
			 A1 100 
			 A2 100 
			 A2L 67 
			 B1 86 
			 B2 13 
			 C1 0 
		
	
	Across all Government Departments, an annual review of official's performance is conducted to gauge their competence to perform their duties.
	DFID was awarded the “Best International Procurement Project of the Year” in September 2013 by the globally-recognised Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Crown Dependencies and British Overseas Territories

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the status of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights and the legality of same-sex marriage in UK Crown dependencies and overseas territories.

Mark Simmonds: The protection and promotion of human rights in the Overseas Territories is primarily the responsibility of Territory Governments. Territories have had most of the core UN human rights conventions extended to them. The UK Government expects Territories to take action, including legislating where necessary, in any areas of disparity to reach full compliance.
	At the inaugural Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council in 2012, the UK and Territory Governments stated a shared belief in tackling discrimination so that all citizens had an equal opportunity to play an active role in society. Since then a number of pieces of anti-discrimination legislation has been passed in the Territories. For example Bermuda's Human Rights Amendment Act 2013 ensures that no one is discriminated against on the basis of age or sexual orientation. At the Joint Ministerial Council in 2013, the UK and Territory Governments made a commitment to work together to extend the core UN human rights conventions to the Territories where these had not been extended already.
	The Crown Dependencies are not part of the UK but are self-governing dependencies of the Crown. The Crown Dependencies' Governments are responsible for their domestic matters. However, UK Government is responsible for ensuring that the Crown Dependencies meet their international obligations, including under the European Convention on Human Rights.

European Commission

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will set out his Department's priorities for discussions with the European Commission over their 2014 Work Programme; and if he will make a statement.

David Lidington: The Government's priority is focusing on measures that encourage growth and jobs, and which are intended to deepen the Single Market. For more detail, I refer the hon. Member to the Government's Explanatory Memorandum of 15 November 2013 on the Commission Work Programme 2014, which is available at:
	http://europeanmemoranda.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/files/2013/11/15521-132.pdf
	and the debate in the House on 22 January 2014, Official Report, columns 381-407, both of which outline the Government's main priorities in the Programme. Government Departments will engage with the Commission on the dossiers for which they are responsible to ensure the best deal for the UK.
	We will pay particular attention to the lessening of unnecessary regulatory burdens and ensuring that the principle of subsidiarity is respected.

India

Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to ensure accountability for any UK involvement in Operation Blue Star in Amritsar in 1984.

Hugo Swire: As stated by the Prime Minister in the House of Commons on 15 January 2014, Official Report, column 849, the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, my right hon. Friend the Member for Horsham (Mr Maude), has been asked to lead an urgent review to establish the facts and that this process is under way. As also stated by the Prime Minister, the findings will be made public.

Iran

Bob Blackman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what processes are in place if Iran withdraws from nuclear talks during the six-month interim agreement period.

Hugh Robertson: Under the Joint Plan of Action agreed between the E3+3 and Iran, negotiations on a comprehensive nuclear agreement will run in parallel to implementation of a first step interim agreement. The Joint Plan of Action states that the first step will be:
	"time-bound, with a duration of six months, and renewable by mutual consent, during which all parties will work to maintain a constructive atmosphere for negotiations in good faith."

Iran

Bob Blackman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to his Iranian counterpart on recent reports that Iran's parliament is considering a bill to increase uranium enrichment to 60 per cent fissile purity.

Hugh Robertson: We are aware of press reports indicating the Iranian Majles could pass legislation authorising uranium enrichment up to 60%. As part of the interim agreement, implemented on 20 January, Iran committed not to enrich uranium above 5%. We encourage all sides to continue to work constructively on the implementation of the first step agreement and towards the shared goal of a long term comprehensive solution.

Iran

Bob Blackman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what processes are in place if the P5+1 and Iran do not reach a permanent nuclear agreement during the six-month interim period.

Hugh Robertson: The Joint Plan of Action sets out the steps to be taken under the interim agreement between the E3+3 and Iran. The interim agreement has a duration of six months, renewable by mutual consent. The Joint Plan of Action also sets out elements of a comprehensive nuclear agreement with Iran, which we aim to conclude, and begin implementing, within 12 months.

Iran

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 17 January 2014, Official Report, column 710W, on Iran, which bank has he nominated to deal with permitted transactions between EU and Iran since the commencement of the Geneva Accord on 20 January 2014.

Hugh Robertson: The EU Iran sanctions regime continues to provide a number of explicit exemptions allowing Iran to purchase humanitarian and other non-sanctioned goods from the EU. In line with our commitments, there are no legal restrictions on any EU banks handling permitted transactions (provided designated entities are not party to the transaction, and subject to the authorisations and notifications required under the EU Regulation). Under the Joint Plan of Action, the EU has increased ten-fold its thresholds for authorisation of humanitarian transactions and payments relating to other non-sanctioned trade. We are in consultation with E3+3 partners on additional measures which may be required, in line with the Joint Plan of Action, to facilitate humanitarian trade for Iran's domestic needs using Iranian oil revenues held abroad.

Japan

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his Japanese counterpart on the hunting of whales and dolphins.

George Eustice: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
	The UK is strongly opposed to the hunting of all cetaceans other than some limited activities by indigenous people for clearly defined subsistence needs. We strongly support the maintenance of the International Whaling Commission's global moratorium on commercial whaling. The UK continues to express its opposition to so called 'scientific' whaling and small cetacean hunts at every appropriate opportunity and the Japanese Government is in no doubt as to the strength of feeling in the UK on this matter.
	On 24 January 2014, HM ambassador to Japan wrote to the Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs to reiterate the UK's opposition to the hunting of small cetaceans and raised concerns over the welfare and sustainability issues surrounding such large-scale hunts. That letter also reiterated the UK's opposition to the hunting of all cetaceans other than some limited activities by indigenous people for clearly defined subsistence needs.
	My right hon. Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire) raised UK concerns in relation to Japanese whaling on a visit to Japan in January 2013.
	The last meeting of the International Whaling Commission in Panama in 2012 (IWC64), was attended by the then DEFRA Minister for the Marine and Natural Environment, my hon. Friend the Member for Newbury (Richard Benyon), who reiterated the UK Government's support for the moratorium on commercial whaling, and its opposition to 'scientific whaling'. The UK also raised concerns regarding the continued hunting of small cetaceans by Japan.

Middle East

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received of shipments of weapons from Iran to (a) Syria, (b) Lebanon and (c) the Gaza Strip.

Hugh Robertson: We remain deeply concerned by reports, including from the UN Panel of Experts supporting UNSCR 1737 Committee, that Iran continues to transfer arms within the middle east and Africa-including Syria, Gaza, and Hezbollah in Lebanon-in violation of UN Security Council Resolutions. Iran must end such activity immediately.

Pay

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (a) how many and (b) what proportion of staff employed by (i) his Department, (ii) agencies of his Department and (iii) contractors of his Department are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage.

Hugh Robertson: None of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's officers are employed below the living wage. The living wage is £7.65 per hour. In London this is £8.80. The minimum annual salary payable to directly employed staff is £18,176. This equates to £8.31 per hour for staff employed to work outside of London and £8.53 per hour for staff employed to work in London. Staff in London also receive a location allowance of £4,520 pa. This increases the minimum hourly rate in London to £10.64. We are in the process of obtaining information from commercial partners and our arm’s length bodies (ALB) about the rates paid to contract workers and will place a copy of this information in the house Library when available.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Employment and Support Allowance

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people were in receipt of employment and support allowance in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK in the latest period for which figures are available.

Esther McVey: The information requested is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Employment and support allowance recipients: May 2013 
			  Total 
			 Great Britain/abroad 1,747,610 
			 North-east region 95,720 
			 South Tyneside local authority 6,020 
			 Jarrow parliamentary constituency 2,910 
			 Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Incapacity benefit was replaced by employment and support allowance (ESA) from October 2008. 3. Great Britain data have been provided as the information for Northern Ireland is the responsibility of the Department for Social Development. Northern Ireland statistics can be found at: http://www.dsdni.gov.uk/index/stats_and_research/benefit_publications.htm Source: DWP Information Governance and Security Directorate 100% WPLS 
		
	
	These statistics are published at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dwp-statistics-tabulation-tool

Flexible Working

Lucy Powell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of jobs advertised as compatible with flexible working in each of the last four years.

Esther McVey: The information requested is not retrievable directly from the relevant IT systems and could therefore be provided only at a disproportionate cost. I have asked officials to investigate whether changes could be made to the Universal Jobmatch system to allow this information to be collected in future.

Funeral Payments

Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the mean amount awarded to each claimant was of funeral payments awarded through the Social Fund in 2012-13.

Steve Webb: The mean amount awarded to those who made a successful Social Fund funeral payment application in 2012-13 has been published in the Annual Report by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the Social Fund 2012 to 2013 (Annex 1). This is available at the following link:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/annual-report-by-the-secretary-of-state-for-work-and-pensions-on-the-social-fund-2012-to-2013

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  in what areas the pilot scheme requiring jobseeker's allowance claimants aged 19-21 who lack level 2 qualifications in English and mathematics to undergo training will be implemented;
	(2)  how many people have taken up training as a result of the pilot scheme of support requiring jobseeker's allowance claimants aged 19-21 who lack level 2 qualifications in English and mathematics to take up training.

Esther McVey: Details of the pilot, including the areas that will be involved, will be announced in due course. As the pilot has not started yet, no one has taken up training.

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of jobseekers aged 19-21 who do not have level 2 qualifications in English and mathematics.

Esther McVey: The findings from the Skills for Life Survey 2011 (the most recent survey conducted) shows numeracy and literacy for respondents claiming JSA but does not provide age breakdowns so it is not possible to identify the proportion of JSA respondents aged 19 to 21 who had less than level 2 in literacy or numeracy.

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of jobseeker's allowance claimants who lack basic skills in English, mathematics and IT.

Esther McVey: The Department does not publish information on the number of people claiming jobseeker's allowance who lack basic skills in English, Mathematics and IT.
	Skills Conditionality (SC) policy was introduced from August 2011. Where a claimant's lack of skills is a barrier to them finding work they will be referred either for an in-depth skills check with the National Careers Service or direct to the most appropriate training provider. This includes referrals to basic skills training.
	SC applies to those receiving jobseeker's allowance or employment and support allowance (work related activity group) and data on the aggregate number of referrals to SC training, including basic skills training, from these two benefit groups can be found in the following table:
	
		
			 Skills conditionality referrals (in-month) 
			  Initial provider interview (England) Training (GB) National careers service (England) 
			 Total 453,100 500,520 552,270 
			     
			 2011    
			 August 3,080 6,650 19,150 
			 September 8,360 9,530 20,270 
			 October 10,770 11,840 19,420 
			 November 13,330 15,620 20,970 
			 December 9,050 10,350 14,480 
			     
			 2012    
			 January 16,910 15,160 20,600 
			 February 18,350 15,680 19,760 
			 March 18,940 16,710 19,090 
			 April 14,570 13,960 15,510 
			 May 18,100 17,410 19,020 
			 June 13,930 13,760 17,200 
			 July 17,930 15,660 22,760 
			 August 17,470 14,620 21,540 
			 September 18,810 19,480 22,430 
			 October 23,730 23,890 26,970 
			 November 22,580 24,130 25,860 
			 December 14,740 17,110 16,690 
			     
			 2013    
			 January 27,350 30,830 29,280 
			 February 24,990 29,260 25,490 
			 March 23,450 28,240 22,940 
			 April 24,150 29,660 23,840 
			 May 22,570 29,970 22,460 
			 June 20,960 27,150 24,410 
			 July 26,890 34,830 34,410 
			 Notes: 1. Figures include Skills Funding Agency (SFA) Basic Skills Training; SFA English for Speakers of Other Languages; SFA Occupational Training; Other Training; and Skills for Work (Wales). 2. Statistics showing SFA funded training starts for all learners reporting that they are claimants of JSA and ESA-WRAG, regardless of whether or not they were referred under Skills Conditionally, are available in the BIS Further Education and Skills Statistical First Release available at: http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/statisticalfirstrelease/sfr_current 3. Values are rounded to the nearest 10. Values less than 10 are suppressed and marked with a dash. Due to rounding totals may not be the sum of the individual cells. Months are calendar months. Skills Conditionality started from 1 August 2011 in England, from 25 June 2012 in Scotland for training provision only, and from October 2012 in Wales for training provision only. In Wales, Skills Conditionality is Skills for Work (Wales) only. Data Source: DWP LMS opportunities evaluation database September 2013.

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people were in receipt of jobseeker's allowance in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK in the latest period for which figures are available.

Esther McVey: The information requested is shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Jobseeker’s allowance recipients: December 2013 
			  Total 
			 United Kingdom 1,201,512 
			 North-east region 72,484 
			 South Tyneside local authority 5,630 
			 Jarrow parliamentary constituency 2,596 
			 Notes: 1. Claimant count figures do not yet include claimants of universal credit. 2. This information is published at: https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/Default.asp Source: Claimant count with rates and proportions ONS Crown Copyright Reserved (from Nomis on 27 January 2014)

Pay

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of staff employed by (a) his Department, (b) agencies of his Department and (c) contractors of his Department are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage.

Michael Penning: The Department, all of its arm's length bodies and all of its contractors comply with the national minimum wage. This statutory minimum is set by the Government at a rate judged to provide the right balance between employee's earnings, the cost of their employment to employers, and also the level of employment in the UK, which is now at record levels. With significant pressure on public expenditure the Government's scope to go further is constrained. None the less all of our London based staff continue to be paid more than the London living wage.
	The new national minimum wage rates were announced in October. After the implementation of DWP's 2013 pay award, all of our staff outside of London are paid above the national minimum wage. However 229 members of staff in DWP and 57 in arm's length bodies (less than 0.3% of our staff) earn below the new national living wage, the majority falling below the new hourly rate by 1p.
	There are currently some 4,920 staff of our contractors and their service partners who are paid at or below the current living wage figure. Our FM contractor, Telereal Trillium, has committed to introduce the London living wage for all London-based cleaning, catering and security staff with effect from April 2014, reducing the total number in receipt of less than the living wage to around 4,500.
	We will continue to take living wage rates into account when considering our remit for the 2014-15 pay award.

Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of Atos decisions were overturned at appeal by Department for Work and Pension area.

Michael Penning: The information as requested is not available.
	It is important to note that Atos do not make decisions on eligibility for employment and support allowance. Decisions are taken by DWP decision makers, taking account of all the available evidence including the report provided by Atos.

Tell Us Once Programme

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the performance of the Tell Us Once service.

Esther McVey: Since national rollout of the service in 2011, 90% of local authorities are now delivering the Tell Us Once (TUO) bereavement service and 46% are delivering the birth service. 162,000 births and 559,000 deaths have been reported using the TUO service to date.
	We carried out a customer survey in the summer of 2013, which found that:
	98% of people felt that their overall experience of the bereavement service was good and were willing to recommend the service to others;
	96% of people felt that their overall experience of the birth service was good and were willing to recommend the service to others;
	100% of those using the online service found it easy to use;
	more than 95% of people had confidence in the way that their personal details were handled and were confident that the service has acted on the information given.

Unemployed People: Drugs

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what representations his Department has received on the potential effect of the new drug driving offence on the ability of jobseekers who take long-term medication to find work; and if he will make a statement.

Esther McVey: The Department has not received any representations.

Unemployment Benefits: Disqualification

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claimants of employment support allowance or incapacity benefit received a sanction in each year since 2008.

Esther McVey: The information available is detailed in the table:
	
		
			 Number of employment and support allowance (ESA) claimants with an adverse sanction decision, Great Britain: 27 October 2008 to 30 June 2013 
			 Year of decision Great Britain 
			 27 October to 31 December 2008 10 
			 2009 17,380 
			 2010 26,050 
			 2011 4,200 
			 2012 10,380 
			 1 January to 30 June 2013 8,270 
		
	
	
		
			 Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 and totals will include individuals who have had a sanction applied for more than one period, e.g. if an individual had a sanction applied in 2008 and in 2010 then they will appear in both of these periods. 2. Action: The number of sanctions applied is the number of sanction referrals where the decision was found against the claimant. 3. Year of Decision: The year in which the decision on the sanction referral was made. The year 2008 only includes data from 27 October and 2013 only includes data up to and including the 30 June, which are the latest data available. 4. The low numbers in 2011 are reflective of the period between previous employment programmes (Pathways) ending and referrals to the Work programme increasing. 5. The increase in sanctions between 2009 and 2010 is likely to be explained by the increase in employment programme conditionality (programmes such as Pathways) as well as the increased migration of individuals from IB to ESA. 6. New regulations introduced a new revised sanctions regime for ESA claimants from 3 December 2012. Details can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/jobseekers-allowance-overview-of-sanctions-rules Source: DWP Information, Governance and Security Directorate: JSA Sanctions and Disallowance Decisions Statistics Database

Unemployment: Young People

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many young people were not in education, employment or training in each year since 1990.

Matthew Hancock: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	The number of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) in England is published by the Department for Education (DFE) every quarter. The latest information can be found here:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/neet-statistics-quarterly-brief-july-to-september-2013
	A supplementary table providing a time series of young people NEET is available at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/263773/NEET_harmonised_ Supplementary_tables_National_timeseries_inc_Q3_2013.xlsx
	Due to incomplete data, estimates for people not in education, employment and training are not available prior to 2000.
	
		
			 Table 1: Number of young people Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET) in England 
			   Numbers of young people NEET 
			 Quarterly LFS series  16 17 18 16-17 16-18 16-24 18-24 19-24 
			 Q2 2000 45,000 51,000 56,000 96,000 153,000 652,000 556,000 499,000 
			 Q3 2000 54,000 68,000 71,000 123,000 194,000 750,000 627,000 556,000 
			 Q4 2000 44,000 43,000 63,000 87,000 150,000 629,000 542,000 479,000 
			 Q1 2001 49,000 51,000 68,000 100,000 168,000 667,000 567,000 499,000 
			 Q2 2001 47,000 55,000 62,000 102,000 164,000 650,000 548,000 486,000 
			 Q3 2001 53,000 66,000 82,000 120,000 201,000 774,000 655,000 573,000 
			 Q4 2001 46,000 51,000 74,000 97,000 171,000 660,000 562,000 489,000 
			 Q1 2002 51,000 58,000 76,000 110,000 186,000 699,000 590,000 513,000 
			 Q2 2002 55,000 66,000 71,000 122,000 193,000 703,000 581,000 510,000 
			 Q3 2002 59,000 80,000 83,000 139,000 223,000 795,000 656,000 573,000 
			 Q4 2002 52,000 56,000 70,000 108,000 178,000 660,000 551,000 482,000 
			 Q1 2003 57,000 62,000 81,000 120,000 201,000 730,000 610,000 529,000 
			 Q2 2003 51,000 69,000 84,000 120,000 204,000 709,000 589,000 505,000 
			 Q3 2003 64,000 88,000 90,000 152,000 242,000 813,000 661,000 571,000 
			 Q4 2003 52,000 46,000 76,000 98,000 174,000 666,000 568,000 492,000 
			 Q1 2004 58,000 47,000 85,000 105,000 190,000 680,000 575,000 490,000 
			 Q2 2004 54,000 54,000 88,000 107,000 195,000 700,000 593,000 505,000 
			 Q3 2004 63,000 84,000 89,000 147,000 236,000 837,000 690,000 600,000 
			 Q4 2004 59,000 46,000 76,000 105,000 180,000 738,000 633,000 558,000 
			 Q1 2005 59,000 65,000 76,000 124,000 200,000 735,000 611,000 535,000 
			 Q2 2005 60,000 66,000 79,000 126,000 205,000 770,000 644,000 565,000 
			 Q3 2005 64,000 93,000 91,000 158,000 248,000 880,000 722,000 631,000 
			 Q4 2005 56,000 62,000 89,000 117,000 207,000 827,000 709,000 620,000 
			 Q1 2006 57,000 73,000 94,000 130,000 225,000 803,000 673,000 578,000 
			 Q2 2006 56,000 73,000 104,000 129,000 233,000 852,000 724,000 619,000 
			 Q3 2006 67,000 97,000 101,000 164,000 265,000 969,000 805,000 704,000 
			 Q4 2006 53,000 54,000 90,000 108,000 197,000 806,000 699,000 609,000 
			 Q1 2007 55,000 63,000 95,000 118,000 213,000 823,000 706,000 611,000 
			 Q2 2007 54,000 70,000 96,000 124,000 220,000 825,000 701,000 605,000 
			 Q3 2007 58,000 103,000 101,000 161,000 261,000 906,000 745,000 645,000 
			 Q4 2007 42,000 58,000 89,000 100,000 189,000 772,000 672,000 583,000 
			 Q1 2008 43,000 62,000 90,000 104,000 194,000 799,000 694,000 605,000 
			 Q2 2008 46,000 66,000 98,000 112,000 210,000 839,000 727,000 629,000 
		
	
	
		
			 Q3 2008 50,000 104,000 103,000 154,000 257,000 986,000 832,000 729,000 
			 Q4 2008 41,000 55,000 107,000 95,000 202,000 850,000 755,000 648,000 
			 Q1 2009 43,000 66,000 110,000 109,000 219,000 924,000 815,000 705,000 
			 Q2 2009 53,000 76,000 108,000 129,000 237,000 950,000 821,000 713,000 
			 Q3 2009 53,000 96,000 113,000 148,000 261,000 1,064,000 916,000 803,000 
			 Q4 2009 28,000 49,000 98,000 77,000 175,000 888,000 810,000 713,000 
			 Q1 2010 32,000 58,000 106,000 90,000 196,000 921,000 831,000 725,000 
			 Q2 2010 32,000 67,000 100,000 99,000 199,000 868,000 769,000 669,000 
			 Q3 2010 38,000 100,000 121,000 138,000 260,000 1,023,000 885,000 763,000 
			 Q4 2010 27,000 41,000 90,000 68,000 158,000 934,000 866,000 776,000 
			 Q1 2011 34,000 49,000 79,000 83,000 161,000 927,000 844,000 766,000 
			 Q2 2011 42,000 56,000 92,000 98,000 190,000 991,000 893,000 801,000 
			 Q3 2011 49,000 98,000 119,000 147,000 266,000 1,181,000 1,034,000 915,000 
			 Q4 2011 31,000 50,000 93,000 81,000 174,000 969,000 887,000 794,000 
			 Q1 2012 38,000 57,000 85,000 95,000 180,000 960,000 865,000 780,000 
			 Q2 2012 36,000 59,000 100,000 95,000 195,000 986,000 891,000 791,000 
			 Q3 2012 25,000 80,000 92,000 105,000 197,000 1,038,000 933,000 842,000 
			 Q4 2012 21,000 32,000 93,000 53,000 146,000 890,000 837,000 744,000 
			 Q1 2013 26,000 40,000 86,000 65,000 152,000 909,000 843,000 757,000 
			 Q2 2013 30,000 53,000 85,000 83,000 168,000 935,000 852,000 767,000 
			 Q3 2013 31,000 89,000 101,000 120,000 221,000 1,066,000 946,000 845,000 
			 Notes: 1. Age refers to academic age, which is the respondents age at the preceding 31 August. 2. All estimates are taken from the Labour Force Survey. 3. All estimates refer to calendar quarters. 4. All estimates refer to England. 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Percentage of young people Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET) in England 
			 Percentage 
			   Young people NEET 
			 Quarterly LFS series  16 17 18 16-17 16-18 16-24 18-24 19-24 
			 Q2 2000 7.7 8.8 10.1 8.2 8.8 12.7 14.0 14.7 
			 Q3 2000 9.3 11.8 12.4 10.6 11.2 14.6 15.7 16.3 
			 Q4 2000 7.5 7.3 11.4 7.4 8.7 12.3 13.7 14.1 
			 Q1 2001 8.2 8.5 12.3 8.4 9.6 12.9 14.3 14.6 
			 Q2 2001 7.9 9.1 11.6 8.5 9.5 12.5 13.7 14.1 
			 Q3 2001 8.6 11.0 14.7 9.8 11.3 14.8 16.3 16.6 
			 Q4 2001 7.3 8.5 12.8 7.9 9.4 12.5 13.9 14.1 
			 Q1 2002 8.1 9.8 13.2 8.9 10.3 13.3 14.6 14.9 
			 Q2 2002 8.8 10.9 12.3 9.9 10.6 13.3 14.4 14.8 
			 Q3 2002 9.5 12.9 14.1 11.2 12.1 14.9 16.1 16.4 
			 Q4 2002 8.5 8.8 11.6 8.7 9.6 12.2 13.3 13.6 
			 Q1 2003 9.4 9.6 13.6 9.5 10.8 13.6 14.8 15.0 
			 Q2 2003 8.4 10.6 14.1 9.5 11.0 13.2 14.3 14.3 
			 Q3 2003 10.3 13.6 14.4 12.0 12.8 14.9 15.7 16.0 
			 Q4 2003 8.2 7.5 12.1 7.9 9.3 12.1 13.3 13.5 
			 Q1 2004 9.0 7.7 13.6 8.4 10.1 12.3 13.5 13.5 
			 Q2 2004 8.2 8.9 13.8 8.5 10.3 12.7 13.9 13.9 
			 Q3 2004 10.2 13.1 13.9 11.7 12.4 15.0 16.0 16.3 
			 Q4 2004 8.9 7.3 11.8 8.1 9.3 13.0 14.5 15.0 
			 Q1 2005 9.2 9.8 12.3 9.5 10.4 13.0 14.0 14.3 
			 Q2 2005 9.2 10.1 13.2 9.6 10.8 13.5 14.6 14.9 
			 Q3 2005 9.8 14.5 14.3 12.1 12.8 15.3 16.2 16.5 
			 Q4 2005 8.9 9.5 13.5 9.2 10.7 14.4 15.9 16.3 
			 Q1 2006 9.3 10.8 14.5 10.1 11.5 14.0 15.1 15.2 
			 Q2 2006 9.0 10.8 15.9 10.0 12.0 14.7 16.1 16.2 
			 Q3 2006 10.2 14.7 16.0 12.5 13.6 16.6 17.8 18.1 
			 Q4 2006 8.1 8.5 13.5 8.3 10.1 13.8 15.3 15.6 
			 Q1 2007 8.2 10.0 14.7 9.1 10.9 14.0 15.4 15.6 
		
	
	
		
			 Q2 2007 8.3 11.0 14.5 9.7 11.3 14.1 15.3 15.4 
			 Q3 2007 9.0 15.2 15.8 12.2 13.4 15.3 16.2 16.3 
			 Q4 2007 6.5 8.8 13.8 7.7 9.7 13.0 14.5 14.6 
			 Q1 2008 6.5 9.5 14.0 8.0 10.0 13.4 14.9 15.1 
			 Q2 2008 7.2 9.8 14.9 8.5 10.6 14.0 15.5 15.6 
			 Q3 2008 8.0 15.5 15.6 11.9 13.1 16.4 17.7 18.0 
			 Q4 2008 6.3 8.3 15.9 7.3 10.3 14.2 16.0 16.1 
			 Q1 2009 6.6 10.0 16.8 8.4 11.2 15.5 17.4 17.5 
			 Q2 2009 8.3 11.5 16.3 9.9 12.1 15.8 17.5 17.7 
			 Q3 2009 8.2 15.0 16.8 11.6 13.4 17.8 19.5 20.0 
			 Q4 2009 4.6 7.4 15.4 6.0 9.1 14.8 17.2 17.4 
			 Q1 2010 5.1 8.6 16.9 7.0 10.2 15.3 17.6 17.7 
			 Q2 2010 5.2 10.1 15.2 7.7 10.3 14.4 16.2 16.4 
			 Q3 2010 6.2 15.0 19.1 10.8 13.5 17.1 18.8 18.8 
			 Q4 2010 4.2 6.6 14.0 5.4 8.3 15.5 18.2 18.9 
			 Q1 2011 5.2 7.9 12.2 6.5 8.4 15.4 17.7 18.6 
			 Q2 2011 6.6 9.1 14.5 7.8 10.1 16.4 18.6 19.3 
			 Q3 2011 7.7 15.5 18.4 11.6 13.9 19.5 21.5 22.0 
			 Q4 2011 5.1 8.1 14.9 6.6 9.4 16.1 18.5 19.1 
			 Q1 2012 6.2 9.0 13.7 7.6 9.7 15.9 18.1 18.8 
			 Q2 2012 5.9 9.7 15.9 7.8 10.5 16.3 18.4 18.8 
			 Q3 2012 4.2 12.8 14.9 8.6 10.7 17.2 19.4 20.1 
			 Q4 2012 3.6 5.2 14.5 4.4 7.9 14.9 17.6 18.0 
			 Q1 2013 4.6 6.0 13.8 5.4 8.2 15.1 17.6 18.2 
			 Q2 2013 5.0 8.0 14.4 6.6 9.1 15.5 17.8 18.3 
			 Q3 2013 5.4 14.4 16.2 10.1 12.2 17.7 19.6 20.1 
			 Notes: 1. Age refers to academic age, which is the respondents age at the preceding 31 August. 2. All estimates are taken from the Labour Force Survey. 3. All estimates refer to calendar quarters. 5. All estimates refer to England.

Work Capability Assessment

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claimants who have had their claims terminated after a work capability assessment died within six weeks of the termination of their claim in the last year for which figures are available.

Michael Penning: The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

Work Programme

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department paid to work programme providers in respect of Employment Support Allowance claimants in (a) attachment fees, (b) job outcome fees and (c) other changes in each month since that programme commenced.

Esther McVey: The total paid to Work programme providers in respect of ESA claimants, from the start of the programme through to 30 September 2013, the period covered by the December 2013 Statistical Release, is £116.6 million made up of:
	£94.3 million Attachment payments,
	£10.8 million Job Outcome payments
	£11.5 million Sustainment payments.
	
		
			 ESA payments by month June 2011 to September 2013 
			 £ million 
			  2011 
			  Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 
			 Attachments 0.3 2.0 1.9 2.6 2.7 5.7 4.1 
			 Job outcomes 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 
			 Sustainments 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Total 0.3 2.0 1.9 2.6 2.7 5.7 4.2 
		
	
	
		
			 £ million 
			  2012 
			  Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 
			 Attachments 3.7 3.2 3.1 2.1 2.3 2.2 2.3 2.3 2.1 3.3 5.3 4.8 
			 Job outcomes 0.1 0.1 0.2 (0.1) 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.7 0.5 0.5 0.5 
			 Sustainments 0.0 0.0 0.1 (0.0) 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.5 0.5 0.4 
			 Total 3.8 3.3 3.3 2.0 2.8 2.6 2.8 2.8 3.1 4.2 6.3 5.7 
		
	
	
		
			 £ million 
			  2013 
			  Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep 
			 Attachments 5.7 5.4 6.3 4.5 4.7 3.7 3.3 2.5 2.2 
			 Job outcomes 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.5 0.7 0.9 1.0 1,0 1.2 
			 Sustainments 0.7 0.8 0.7 0.9 1.0 1.0 1,3 1.3 1.5 
			 Total 7.1 6.8 7.3 5.9 6.4 5.6 5.7 4.8 4.9